"SCARY MOVIE"
					BY KEVIN WILLIAMSON

						Rewrite
                                 July 31, 1995

FADE IN

ON A RINGING TELEPHONE.

A hand reaches for it, bringing the receiver up to the face of CASEY BECKER, a young girl, no more than sixteen.  A friendly face with innocent eyes.

                                CASEY
                Hello.

                                MAN'S VOICE
                        (from phone)
                Hello.

Silence.

                                CASEY
                Yes.

                                MAN
                Who is this?

                                CASEY
                Who are you trying to reach?

                                MAN
                What number is this?

                                CASEY
                What number are you trying to reach?

                                MAN
                I don't know.

                                CASEY
                I think you have the wrong number.

                                MAN
                Do I?

                                CASEY
                It happens. Take it easy.

CLICK! She hangs up the phone.  The CAMERA PULLS BACK to reveal Casey in a living room, alone.  She moves from the living room to the kitchen.  It's a nice house.  Affluent.

The phone RINGS again.

INT.  KITCHEN

Casey grabs the portable.

                                CASEY
                Hello.

                                MAN
                I'm sorry. I guess I dialed the wrong number.

                                CASEY
                So why did you dial it again?

                                MAN
                To apologize.

                                CASEY
                You're forgiven. Bye now.

                                MAN
                Wait, wait, don't hang up.

Casey stands in front of a sliding glass door.  It's pitch black outside.

                                CASEY
                What?

                                MAN
                I want to talk to you for a second.

                                CASEY
                They've got 900 numbers for that. Seeya.

CLICK!  Casey hangs up.  A grin on her face.

EXT.  CASEY'S HOUSE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING

A big country home with a huge sprawling lawn full of big oak trees.  It sits alone with no neighbors in sight.

The phone RINGS again.

INT.  KITCHEN

Popcorn sizzles in a pot on the stove.  Casey covers it with a lid, reaching for the portable phone.

                                CASEY
                Hello.

                                MAN
                Why don't you want to talk to me?

                                CASEY
                Who is this?

                                MAN
                You tell me your name, I'll tell you mine.

                                CASEY
                        (shaking the popcorn)
                I don't think so.

                                MAN
                What's that noise?

Casey smiles, playing along, innocently.

                                CASEY
                Popcorn.

                                MAN
                You're making popcorn?

                                CASEY
                Uh-huh.

                                MAN
                I only eat popcorn at the movies.

                                CASEY
                I'm getting ready to watch a video.

                                MAN
                Really? What?

                                CASEY
                Just some scary movie.

                                MAN
                Do you like scary movies?

                                CASEY
                Uh-huh.

                                MAN
                What's your favorite scary movie?

He's flirting with her.  Casey moves away from the stove and takes a seat at the kitchen counter, directly in front of the glass door.

                                CASEY
                I don't know.

                                MAN
                You have to have a favorite.

Casey thinks for second.

                                CASEY
                Uh...HALLOWEEN. You know, the one with the 
                guy with the white mask who just sorta walks around
                and stalks the baby sitters. What's yours?

                                MAN
                Guess.

                                CASEY
                Uh...NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET.

                                MAN
                Is that the one where the guy had knives 
                for fingers?

                                CASEY
                Yeah...Freddy Krueger.

                                MAN
                Freddy-that's right. I liked that movie.
                It was scary.

                                CASEY
                The first one was, but the rest sucked.

                                MAN
                So, you gotta boyfriend?

                                CASEY
                        (giggling)
                Why? You wanna ask me out?

                                MAN
                Maybe. Do you have a boyfriend?

                                CASEY
                No.

                                MAN
                You never told me your name.

Casey smiles, twirling her hair.

                                CASEY
                Why do you want to know my name?

                                MAN
                Because I want to know who I'm looking
                at.

Casey spins around like lightning facing the glass door.

                                CASEY
                What did you say?

                                MAN
                I want to now who I'm talking to.

                                CASEY
                That's not what you said.

                                MAN
                What do you think I said?

Casey CLICKS on the outside light.  A flood light illuminates the backyard.  Her eyes survey the grounds.  But it's empty.  No one's there.  She turns the light out.

On the stove, the popcorn POPS.

                                CASEY
                I have to go now.

                                MAN
                Wait...I thought we were gonna go out.

                                CASEY
                Nah, I don't think so...

                                MAN
                Don't hang up on me.

                                CASEY
                Gotta go.

                                MAN
                Don't...

CLICK!  Casey hangs up.  She checks the glass door making sure it's locked and then moves to the stove as...

THE PHONE RINGS.

She slides the popcorn from the stove, reaching for the phone.

                                CASEY
                Yes?

                                MAN
                I told you not to hang up on me.

                                CASEY
                What do you want?

                                MAN
                To talk.

                                CASEY
                Dial someone else, okay?

                                MAN
                You getting scared?

                                CASEY
                No-bored.

CLICK.  She hangs up.  The phone RINGS again.  She grabs it.

                                CASEY
                Listen, asshole...

                                MAN
                        (deadly serious)
                NO, YOU LISTEN, YOU LITTLE BITCH. IF YOU
                HANG UP ON ME AGAIN I'LL GUT YOU LIKE
                A FISH. UNDERSTAND?

Total silence.  He has gotten her full attention.

                                CASEY
                Is this some kind of a joke?

                                MAN
                More of a game, really.

Casey eyes the glass doors, then looks up the hallway to the front doors...moving to it.  It's unlocked.  She bolts it.

                                CASEY
                I'm two seconds from calling the police.

                                MAN
                They'd never make it in time.

Casey moves her face flush against the door, her eye looking through the peephole.

ANGLE THROUGH PEEPHOLE.

A distorted view of the front porch.  It is empty.  She relaxes a bit, relieved.

                                CASEY
                What do you want?

                                MAN
                        (pure evil)
                TO SEE WHAT YOUR INSIDES LOOK LIKE.

Casey's jaw drops as total fear storms her face.  She hangs up the phone, throwing it down on a side table when...

THE DOORBELL CHIMES.

Casey leaps out of her skin.  She turns to the door as it chimes again.

                                CASEY
                        (calling out)
                Who's there?

Another CHIME.  She moves to it.

                                CASEY
                        (louder)
                Who's there?

No answer.  Fuck this.  It's time for the police.  She goes for the portable phone. Just as she picks it up...

IT RINGS.

Casey almost drops it, losing her breath...

She brings it to her ear with trembling hands, saying nothing...listening, waiting...

A long silence.  And then.

                                MAN
                You should never say "Who's there?".
                Don't you watch scary movies? It's a
                death wish.

Casey clutches the wall, nearly collapsing.  She tries her damndest to hang tough.

                                CASEY
                Look, enough is enough. You had your fun
                now you better leave me alone or else.

                                MAN
                Or else what?

CLOSE ON her face, her mind thinking, calculating...

                                CASEY
                My boyfriend will be here any second and
                he'll be pissed when I tell him...

                                MAN
                I thought you didn't have a boyfriend.

Busted.  She holds steady.

                                CASEY
                I lied. I do have a boyfriend and he'll 
                be here any second and your ass better
                be gone.

                                MAN
                Sure...

                                CASEY
                I swear it. And he's big and plays 
                football and will beat the shit out
                of you.

                                MAN
                I'm getting scared.

                                CASEY
                I'm telling you the truth.
                I lied before...

                                MAN
                I believe you...

                                CASEY
                So you better leave.

                                MAN
                His name wouldn't be Steve, would it?

Silence.  Casey buckles at the knees, losing it.

                                CASEY
                How do you know his name?

                                MAN
                Go to the back door and turn on the porch 
                light--again.

Casey, terrified, forces herself to move.. staggering to the kitchen...to the glass doors.  Her shaky hand finds the light switch...she hits it.  The back yard is lit.

Sitting in a lawn chair in the middle of the backyard is a big, line backer of a guy, her boyfriend...

STEVE

tied and gagged.  He's been roughed up, but he's alive.
CLOSE ON his eyes..wide in fear..staring at his girlfriend, pleading with her.

                                CASEY
                Oh Goddddd...

Casey SCREAMS.  Her hand moves to the lock on the door.

                                MAN
                I wouldn't do that if I were you.

Terror rides Casey's face.  She's petrified.

                                CASEY
                Where are you?

                                MAN
                Guess.

Her eyes search the yard, combing bushes, trees.  He could be anywhere-anywhere.

                                CASEY
                        (begging)
                Please don't hurt him.

                                MAN
                That all depends on you.

                                CASEY
                Why are you doing this?

Tears find their way, streaming down Casey's face.

                                MAN
                I wanna play a game.

                                CASEY
                No...

                                MAN
                Then he dies. Right now.

                                CASEY
                NOOO!

                                MAN
                Which is it?

A long silence.  Casey touches the glass...staring at STEVE...this big jock of a guy is crying too.

                                CASEY
                What kind of game?

                                MAN
                Turn off the light.

Her hand goes to the switch...Steve tugs and pulls at his straps...as if begging her...his face sweat and tears...

CLICK

He disappears in the darkness.  Casey moves away from the glass, back toward the living room, unbelieving, horrified.

                                MAN
                Here's how we play. I ask a question. If
                you get it right-Steve lives.

Three curtainless windows line one wall.  Casey crouches down behind the couch, tipping a lamp cord from it's socket, darkening the room.  Her body quivers.

                                CASEY
                Please don't do this...

                                MAN
                Come on. It'll be fun.

                                CASEY
                No...please.

                                MAN
                It's an easy category. Movie trivia.

                                CASEY
                        (begging)
                ..please...

                                MAN
                I'll even give you a warm up question.

                                CASEY
                Don't do this. I can't..

                                MAN
                Name the killer in HALLOWEEN.

                                CASEY
                No...

                                MAN
                Come on. It's you favorite scary movie,
                remember? He had a white mask, he
                stalked the baby-sitters.

Casey goes silent...a nervous wreck...she can barely speak much less think.

                                CASEY
                I don't know...

                                MAN
                Come on, yes you do.

                                CASEY
                Please..stop...

Casey is SOBBING.

                                MAN
                What's his name?

                                CASEY
                I can't think.

Casey has officially reached hysteria, petrified beyond all reality.

                                MAN
                Steve's counting on you.

Suddenly...through tears...Godsent...

                                CASEY
                        (a whisper)
                Michael...Michael Myers.

                                MAN
                YES!

Casey SIGHS...relieved.

                                MAN
                Now for the real question.

                                CASEY
                NOOOO....

                                MAN
                But you're doing so well.

                                CASEY
                Please go away! Leave us alone!

                                MAN
                Then answer the question. Same category.

Casey is a blubbering, wet mass on the floor.

                                CASEY
                ..please..no...

                                MAN
                Name the killer in FRIDAY THE 13TH.

A mad smile purses Casey's lips.  She knows this.  She leaps up, through tears, screaming...

                                CASEY
                Jason! Jason!...JASON!

A slight PAUSE.

                                MAN
                I'm sorry. That's the wrong answer.

                                CASEY
                No it's not. It was Jason.

                                MAN
                Afraid not.

                                CASEY
                It was Jason. I saw that godamned movie
                twenty times. It was Jason.

                                MAN
                Then you should know Jason's MOTHER
                -Mrs.Vorhees was the original killer. Jason
                didn't show up until the sequel.

Casey is stupefied.

                                CASEY
                You tricked me...

                                MAN
                Lucky, for you there's a bonus round.
                But poor Steve...I'm afraid...he's out.

This implication sends Casey running to the kitchen...to the glass doors.  She flips on the porch lights to see...

STEVE

eyes wide, sitting in the lawn chair...his belly gaping open...a mass of blood and ripped flesh...his insides lay on the ground between his feet...steam rising.

A SCREAM erupts from the bottom of her soul as Casey collapse on the floor...nearly passing out.  CLOSE ON her face...pale and ghostly white.  She SOBS.

                                MAN
                Final question. Are you ready?

She doesn't answer.  A long, maddening silence.  Casey reaches up and CLICKS off the light, making Steve go away...wishing, hoping...

                                CASEY
                ..leave me alone..please...

                                MAN
                Answer the question and I will.

Casey is curled up on the floor like an infant, rocking slowly back and forth.

                                MAN
                What door am I at?

                                CASEY
                What?

                                MAN
                There are two doors to your house. A
                front door and a back one. If you answer
                correctly-you live.

From where Casey sits she can see both front and back doors.  She deliberates...with her last bit of strength she tries to strategize.  Eyeing both, the front door...the back door trying to decide between the two.

                                CASEY
                Don't make me...I can't...I won't.

                                MAN
                Your call.

In the darkness, Casey crawls to the kitchen counter-she leans up and grabs a long, sharp knife.

Casey looks around her...she looks down the hall to the front door...then turns back to the kitchen glass door as it suddenly...

SHATTERS TO BITS...

as a lawn chair come flying through it.  Exploding glass sprays everywhere.

This incites Casey like fire.  She springs to her feet...bolting out of the kitchen as a SHADOW moves quickly through the shattered doorframe.

ANGLE ON CASEY

Somewhere in the house, back flat against a window, listening to FEET ON CRACKING GLASS.  She turns and unlocks the latch, quietly sliding it up. She can hear him move through the foyer...to the front door.

Casey lifts herself up and puts her legs through the window.  She holds the knife in one hand, the phone in the other.

Casey eases out the window, fumbling, dropping the knife back in the house.  She starts to reach for it.  Fuck it, she takes off...

EXT.  SIDE OF HOUSE

Casey it at the back corner of the house.

                                MAN
                I can hear you. I know you're here.

Casey eases along a narrow path between a tall fence and the side of the house...going for the front yard.  She must pass the three curtainless windows.  She gets to the first one and peeks in...

The FIGURE has pulled open the foyer closet, searching for her.

Casey creeps along, to the next window, she looks in...the FIGURE is completely on the other side of the room moving toward the hall that leads to other parts of the house.

She moves further along the house...squeezing by hedges...to the third window...she peeks in to the FIGURE...

STARING BACK AT HER...

His face covered with a ghostly white mask, inches from her...his eyes piercing through...soulless...Casey SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER as a hand...

CRASHES through the glass window grabbing hold of her neck...she beats at him trying to free herself...her nails dig into his arm...she wrenches from side to side...finally breaking free as the hands disappear inside the house...

EXT.  CORNER OF HOUSE

Casey sails around the corner of the house, eyeing the front door.  It remains closed.  Her eyes cover the sprawling country yard when suddenly....

HEADLIGHTS APPEAR

in the distance, coming down the road towards the house...she recognizes them instantly.  Mom...Dad...she tears off across the yard toward them...moving like lightning...

The car turns into the driveway...Casey SCREAMS, waving madly, rushing by a tree as...

THE GHOST MASKED FIGURE APPEARS

Casey stumbles back, catching her balance...the FIGURE moves on her, arm poised high...a flash of silver...and Casey is struck, across the chest.  She looks down to see her shirt blossoming red...a look of bewilderment as she drops to one knee.

The knife rises again...Casey throws her hand forward...the blade comes down...but it's blocked by the portable phone still in her hand.  She turns staggering to...

EXT.  DRIVEWAY

A MIDDLE-AGED COUPLE emerge from the parked car.  They move to the front door completely unaware of what's happening to their daughter, only feet from them.

EXT.  FRONT YARD

Casey stumbles forward...her parents ten feet away...she opens her mouth to scream but no sound resonates...she is beyond words...staggering, swaying...the FIGURE moving behind her.

EXT.  FRONT DOOR

Her parents approach the door

                                FATHER
                That fish smelled strong.

                                MOTHER
                I told you to send it back.

The father discovers the front door ajar.  A puzzled look.  Casey is right behind them with one arm outstretched.  If they'd only turn around...

They enter the house and close the door as....

Casey collapses on the ground, clutching her bloody chest...the FIGURE upon her.

INT.  FOYER

The father sees straight back into the kitchen...the shattered patio door.

                                FATHER
                Jesus...

                                MOTHER
                What is it? Where's Casey?

                                FATHER
                        (calling out)
                Casey? Casey?

In a split second they're both panic stricken.  The father begins searching the house frantically.  The mother is hysterical.

EXT.  FRONT YARD

CLOSE ON Casey...she's dragged by her feet through damp soil...the life going fast from her body...her hand still clutching the phone.

INT.  FOYER

Back in the house.

                                MOTHER
                Where is she?

                                FATHER
                Call the police.

The mother moves  to the phone in the foyer, picks it up...There is no dial tone.  She jiggles the base.

                                FATHER
                        (searching)
                Casey? Where are you honey? Call the
                police, goddammit.

                                MOTHER
                The phone's dead.

The...the softest...faintest voice is heard...

                                CASEY
                        (from phone)
                ..help me...

                                MOTHER
                She's here, God, I can hear her.
                Where's my baby?

The husband returns to the foyer finding his wife clinging to the phone.

                                FATHER
                Where is she?

                                MOTHER
                I can hear her. Oh Mother of God,
                I can hear her.

The father upturns the living room.

                                FATHER
                Casey! Casey!

                                MOTHER
                Not my daughter...not my...

The husband grabs hold of his wife.

                                FATHER
                Get in the car and drive down to 
                the Mackenzie's.

The other throws the front door open and rushes out...the father moves through the house when a SCREAM echoes out.  That of his wife.  He tears off for the front door.

EXT.  FRONT DOOR

The father rushes out the door to find his wife, on her knees, bent over, retching.  His eyes move beyond to a tree in the front yard...his stomach fails him...his dinner rises...as he bares witness to the single, most horrifying sight he'll ever see.

That of his only daughter as she hangs from a big oak tree...strung up...very much dead...her stomach ripped open.

BLACKOUT!

BEGIN MAIN TITLES

FADE IN:

INT.  BEDROOM - SAME NIGHT

A teenage girl's room.  Neat and pinkish.  On the bed, amongst age-old stuffed animals lie opened school books. The CAMERA PANS to a desk against the wall where...

SIDNEY PRESCOTT

a young girl of 17, sits, her face glued to the computer monitor in front of her.  CLOSE ON her face.  Sharp and clever with deep, lonely eyes.  She's comfortable in a plain, flannel nightgown.

Her hands are at work, typing feverishly, when suddenly...

CRASH-BOOM

A noise behind her.  She turns abruptly, eyeing an open window across the room. A SCRATCHING sound.  She stands and moves toward it.

EXT.  WINDOW

Sidney sticks her head out the window.  The late night wind hits her face as a SHADOW appears just to the left of her, a hand reaches out, grabs her and suddenly a FIGURE is on top of her...

INT.  BEDROOM

Sid SCREAMS...pulling away from the figure...breaking free, falling back onto the floor.

                                VOICE
                        (o.c.)
                Hey...it's just me.

Sid looks up to see...

BILLY LOOMIS

A young, strapping boy of seventeen.  Handsome and alluring.  A star quarterback/ class president type of guy.  He sports a smile that could last for days.

                                SIDNEY
                Billy? What the...

                                BILLY
                I'm sorry. Don't hate me.

                                SIDNEY
                What are you doing here?

                                BILLY
                You sleep in THAT?

Billy pulls himself through the window.

                                SIDNEY
                        (whispering)
                My dad's in the other room.

                                BILLY
                I'll only stay a sec.

Suddenly...

The bedroom door BURSTS open.  The doorknob catches on the open closet door behind it jamming it, holding it in place.

                                VOICE
                        (from behind door)
                What's going on in there?

Billy quickly rolls out of sight behind the bed.  Sidney unjams the door to reveal...

MR. PRESCOTT, late 40's, a severe presence.  A distracted man, nervous and pre-occupied.

                                MR. PRESCOTT
                Are you okay?

                                SIDNEY
                Can you knock?

                                MR. PRESCOTT
                I heard screaming.

                                SIDNEY
                No you didn't.

                                MR. PRESCOTT
                No? Oh, well...I'm hitting the sack. My
                flight leaves first thing in the morning.
                Now the expo runs all weekend so I 
                won't be back til Sunday. There's cash 
                on the table and I'll be staying at the
                Raleigh Hilton...

                                SIDNEY
                ..out at the airport...

                                MR. PRESCOTT
                ..so call if you need me.

                                SIDNEY
                Got it.

He gives the bedroom a quick once over.

                                MR. PRESCOTT
                I coulda swore I heard screaming.

Sidney distracts him, giving him a peck on the cheek.

                                SIDNEY
                Have a good trip.

                                MR. PRESCOTT
                Sleep tight, sweetie.

He gives her a wink and pulls the door closed.  Billy reappears.

                                BILLY
                Close call.

                                SIDNEY
                What are you doing here?

Billy takes a flying leap and lands on the bed.

                                BILLY
                It just occurred to me that I've never
                snuck through your bedroom window.

                                SIDNEY
                Now that it's out of your system.

                                BILLY
                And I was home, bored, watching
                television, THE EXORCIST was on 
                and it got me thinking of you.

                                SIDNEY
                Oh it did?

                                BILLY
                Yeah, it was edited for TV. All the good
                stuff was cut out and I started thinking
                about us and how two years ago, we started
                off kinda hot and heavy, a nice solid "R"
                rating on our way to an NC17. And how
                things have changed and, lately, we're just
                sot of...edited for television.

                                SIDNEY
                So you thought you could sneak in my
                window and we would  have little bump-
                bump.

                                BILLY
                No, no. I wouldn't dream of breaking your 
                underwear rule. I just thought we might do
                some on top of the clothes stuff.

She snuggles up next to him, planting a kiss on his lips. Passionate and gentle.  He, however, reacts like a shark, moving on top of her, his hands everywhere as he presses into her...Sidney breaks away.

                                SIDNEY
                Time to go, stud bucket.

Billy sits up.  His heart isn't racing...it's POUNDING.

                                BILLY
                See what you do to me.

Sweat has popped out all over his forehead, his breathing heavy.

                                SIDNEY
                You know what my dad will do to you?

                                BILLY
                I'm going...I'm going.

He moves to the window.  She follows, motioning to his wound.

                                SIDNEY
                I appreciate the romantic gesture.

She gives him a kiss goodnight.  Sweet and simple.

                                BILLY
                        (whisper)
                Hey..about the sex stuff. I'm not trying
                to rush you. I was only half serious.

She kisses him again as he eases through the window.

                                SIDNEY
                Would you settle for a PG-13
                relationship?

                                BILLY
                What's that?

She pulls her flannel gown open for a split second...flashing her left breast.  His mouth drops open...surprise, shock.  Their eyes meet.  They share a smile.

                                SIDNEY
                Get outa here.

INT.  SIDNEY'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING

CLOSE on Sidney snuggling her pillow, sleeping peacefully when...

THE RADIO ALARM BLASTS from the night table loud enough to wake the dead.  Sidney bolts up.

                                DISC JOCKEY
                        (from radio)
                ..found brutally murdered...

CLICK.  Sidney, quick with the reflexes, shuts it off instantly.  A car trunk SLAMS shut outside.

Sidney pulls herself out of bed and leans to the window just in time to see her Dad jumping in his car.  She half waves down at him but he doesn't see her.  He's as good as gone, pulling out of the driveway and disappearing down the road.

A moment as Sidney stands at the window, staring out after him.

EXT.  SCHOOL - MORNING

CLOSE ON A SIGN

"BAYBORO HIGH SCHOOL.  HOME OF THE FIGHTING BULLDOGS"

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL a picture perfect small town school.  Old and charming.  Students come and go, moving about.  Nothing unusual, except for the...

six police cars, four news vans, flashing cameras, and crowds and crowds of lookie-loo's gathered just off campus.

EXT.  SIDEWALK

Sidney approaches the school seeing the commotion.  Four different REPORTERS stand in front of four different cameras giving four different news reports.

She moves passed a policeman standing guard.  Her interest peaked, she stops at the first reporter who is...

GALE WEATHERS

Thirties.  He smart face is overshadowed by a flashy smile and a massive mane of chemically enhanced hair.

                                GALE
                        (for the camera)
                The small town of Bayboro, North Carolina
                was devastated last night when two young
                teenagers were found brutally butchered.
                Authorities have yet to issue a statement
                but our sources tell us that no arrest
                has been made and the murderer could 
                strike again...

ON SIDNEY.  Moved, disturbed.  From behind, a finger taps her shoulder.  She spins around to see...

Tatum Riley, same age, feisty, carefree.

                                TATUM
                Do you believe this shit?

                                SIDNEY
                What happened?

They break away from the crowd and head for school.

                                TATUM
                Oh God! You don't know? Casey Becker
                and Steve Forrest were killed last night.

                                SIDNEY
                No way.

                                TATUM
                And not just killed, Sid. We're talking
                splatter movie killed-split open end to
                end.

                                SIDNEY
                Casey Becker? She sits next to me in
                English.

                                TATUM
                Not anymore. Her parents found her
                hanging from a tree. Her insides on the
                outside.

                                SIDNEY
                Do they know who did it?

                                TATUM
                Fucking clueless-they're interrogating
                the entire school. Teachers, students,
                staff, janitors...

                                SIDNEY
                They think it's school-related?

                                TATUM
                They don't know. Dewey said this is
                the worst crime they've ever seen. 
                Even worse than...
                        (stopping herself)
                Well it's bad. They're bringing in the 
                feds. This is big.

Sidney looks back at Gale, her face deeply pained.

INT.  CLASSROOM - LATER

A frumpy old woman, MRS. TATE, faces her class.  Her hands clasped together.  A tragic look upon her face.

                                MRS. TATE
                ..a terrible tragedy. An unbearable
                loss. It's days like today we need 
                prayer in school...

Sidney sits near the rear of the room.  The desk in front of her sits vacant.  Sidney can't take her eyes of it.

The door opens and a student opens with a slip of paper.  He hand s it to Mrs. Tate.

                                MRS. TATE
                Sidney. It appears to be your turn.

INT.  PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

The room is at capacity...wall to wall with police, and the likes.  Some sit, stand, lean...

SHERIFF BURKE, a round man in his fifties, wipes the stress from his face.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Who's up next?

A young officer looks at the clipboard.  This is DEPUTY RILEY, better known as DEWEY.  He's a big guy, 20's, handsome in a scrubbed-clean boyish way.

                                DEWEY
                Sidney Prescott.

Sheriff Burke gestures to bring her in.  PRINCIPAL HIMBRY, 50's, an old codger of a man wearing a sour face speaks up.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                Sidney Prescott. She was daughter of...

                                DEWEY
                We all know Sidney, Mr. Himbry.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                How she doin'?

                                MR. HIMBRY
                She's adjusted well. Maintains an "A"
                average. You never know she...

Himbry stops short, seeing Sidney in the doorway.  He rises and seats her.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Hi Sidney.

                                SIDNEY
                Sheriff Burke. Dewey.

Dewey shakes his head seriously.

                                DEWEY
                It's Deputy Riley today, Sid.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                How is everything?

                                SIDNEY
                Good.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                And your Dad? How's he doing?

                                SIDNEY
                We're fine. Thanks.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                We'll be brief, Sidney. The police have a
                few questions they'd like to ask you...

Sidney eyes them all nervously.

EXT.  SCHOOL COURTYARD - LATER

Students sit at outdoor tables eating lunch.  Crowded at one table is the "gang".  This consists of Sidney, Billy and Tatum.

Next to Tatum, sits her boyfriend STUART, with his arm draped across her back.  He's a Billy wannabe.  Almost the jock, almost handsome, almost cool.  He tries way to hard.

Across the table is the fifth wheel, RANDY.  A tall and gangly kid with no such Billy-like aspirations.  A witty jokester who elevates geek to coolness.

                                TATUM
                Hunt? Why would they ask if you like
                to hunt?

                                STU
                I don't know, they just did.

                                RANDY
                Because their bodies were gutted.

Sidney flinches.

                                BILLY
                Thanks Randy.

                                TATUM
                They didn't ask me if I like to hunt.

                                STU
                Because there's no way a girl could have
                killed them.

                                TATUM
                That is so sexist. The killer could
                easily be female-BASIC INSTINCT.

                                RANDY
                That was an ice pick-not exactly the
                same.

                                STU
                Yeah, Casey and Steve were completely
                hollowed out. Takes a man to do
                something like that.

                                TATUM
                Or a man's mentality.

                                SIDNEY
                        (quiet, almost to herself)
                How do you gut someone?

All eyes turn to Sidney.  A serious silence.  And then:

                                STU
                You take a knife and slit from the groin
                to the sternum.

Sidney shivers down to her soul.  The whole table rolls their eyes at Stu.

                                STU
                What? She asked.

                                BILLY
                It's called tact, you fuckrag.

                                STU
                Sorry.

                                RANDY
                Remember in JAWS when they caught the 
                wrong shark at first and Richard Dreyfuss
                cut it open to look foe body parts and all
                they found was a licence plate and all this
                white milky goo.

Stu leans over and socks Randy in the arm.

                                STU
                You heard Billy-shut the fuck up.

                                SIDNEY
                Hey, Stu? Didn't you use to date Casey?

Stu's taken back, a little off guard.

                                STU
                For about two seconds.

                                RANDY
                Before she dumped him foe Steve.

Tatum turns to Stu, surprised.

                                TATUM
                I thought you dumped her for me.

                                STU
                I did. He's full of shit.

                                RANDY
                And are the police aware you dated the 
                victim?

                                STU
                        (offended)
                What are you saying? That I killed 
                her or something?

                                RANDY
                It would certainly improve your high
                school Q.

                                TATUM
                Stu was with me last night.

                                RANDY
                Oooooh...before or after he sliced and
                diced.

                                TATUM
                Fuck you, nut case. Where were you last
                night?

                                RANDY
                Working, thank you.

                                TATUM
                I thought Blockbuster fired you.

                                RANDY
                Twice.

                                STU
                I didn't kill anybody.

                                BILLY
                No one's saying you did.

                                RANDY
                Besides-
                        (perfect Stu mimic)
                "Takes a man to do something like that."

                                STU
                I'm gonna gut your ass in a second.

                                RANDY
                        (to Stu)
                Did you really put her liver in the
                mailbox? I hear they found her liver
                in the mailbox.

                                TATUM
                        (eyeing Sidney)
                Randy, you goon-fuck, I'm eating here.

Stu nibbles at Tatum's neck.

                                STU
                Yeah, Randy, she's getting mad. I think
                you better liver alone.

Stu cracks up at his own joke.  The others just MOAN.  Sidney is about to crawl out of her skin, trying hard to ignore it all.

EXT.  SIDNEY'S HOUSE - LATER

A huge two story country home with a spacious lawn.

A yellow school bus stops in front of the house and Sidney steps off.

The house looks big and lonely as Sidney moves up the walk to the front door.

INT.  BEDROOM - LATER

Sidney is on the telephone.

                                SIDNEY
                        (into phone)
                You sure I can stay over?  My dad won't
                be back til Sunday.

                                TATUM
                        (through phone)
                No prob. I'll pick you up after
                practice.

                                SIDNEY
                Tell your mom I said thanks.

                                TATUM
                Yeah, yeah...are you okay?

                                SIDNEY
                Uh-huh, it's just...you know, the police
                and reporters...it brings it all back.

                                TATUM
                I'll be there by seven. I promise

                                SIDNEY
                Thanks, Tatum.

                                TATUM
                Later.

Sidney hangs up.  She takes a seat at her computer and boots it up.  She sits in front of it staring at the blue screen...her own reflection staring back.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - LATER

Sidney comes down the stairs, her arms carrying a change of clothes, toothbrush, make-up...

She opens the hall closet and pulls a small overnight bag from the top shelf.  Moving into the living room she loads it up, plopping down on the sofa, hitting the TV remote.

CLOSE ON THE SCREEN

A news reporter fades in.

                                REPORTER #1
                        (on TV)
                The entire nation was shocked today by
                the teen murders in North Carolina...

Sidney switches channels.

                                REPORTER #2
                The State Bureau of Investigation has
                joined forces with local authorities to
                help catch what the Governor has called
                the most heinous...

The channel switches again.  Gale weathers appears, standing in front of the school.  Her white teeth gleaming.

                                GALE
                This is not the first time the small town
                of Bayboro has endured such tragedy. Only
                a year ago, Maureen Prescott, wife and 
                mother, was found raped and murdered...

An old black and white snapshot fills the screen-a woman, beautiful and familiar.

CLOSE ON SIDNEY

eyes frozen, mesmerized by the image.  Suddenly she CLICKS the TV off.  Her eyes go to the clock on the end table.  5:45 PM.  Her eyes then move to the framed photo next to it...the same black and white photo stares at her...a healthy, vibrant woman.  An older version of Sidney.

Sidney curls up on the sofa closing her eyes tight...

INT.  LIVING ROOM - LATER

The clock on the end table reads 7:15 PM.  Sidney is fast asleep on the couch.  The phone RINGS.  Sidney leaps up grabbing the portable phone.

                                TATUM
                        (from phone)
                Practice ran late. I'm on my way.

                                SIDNEY
                        (eyes clock)
                It's past seven.

                                TATUM
                Don't worry. Casey and Steve didn't bite 
                it til way after ten.

                                SIDNEY
                I'm not worried.

                                TATUM
                Good, 'cause I wanna swing by BLOCKBUSTER
                and get us a video. I was thinkin' Tom Cruise in
                ALL THE RIGHT MOVES. You know, if you
                pause it just right you can see his penis.

                                SIDNEY
                Whatever. Just hurry.

                                TATUM
                Bye.

She hangs up the phone.  It immediately RINGS again.

                                SIDNEY
                        (into phone)
                Tatum?

                                MAN'S VOICE
                        (from phone)
                Hello, Sidney.

IT'S HIM.  THE VOICE FROM BEFORE.

                                SIDNEY
                Hi. Who is this?

                                MAN
                You tell me.

Sidney thinks, trying to place his voice.  It sounds a little distorted.

                                SIDNEY
                I have no idea.

                                MAN
                Scary night, isn't it? With the murders
                and all, it's like right out of a horror
                movie or something.

                                SIDNEY
                Aha, Randy, you gave yourself away. Are
                you calling from work? Tatum's on her
                way over.

                                MAN
                Do you like scary movies, Sidney?

                                SIDNEY
                I like that thing you're doing with your
                voice, Randy. It's sexy.

                                MAN
                What's your favorite scary movie?

                                SIDNEY
                Don't start. You know I don't watch that 
                shit.

                                MAN
                And why is that?

                                SIDNEY
                        (playing along)
                Because they're all the same. It's
                always some stupid killer stalking some 
                big breasted girl-who can't act-who 
                always runs up the stairs when she should 
                be going out the front door. They're 
                ridiculous.

A brief silence.

                                MAN
                Are you alone in the house?

                                SIDNEY
                That is so unoriginal. You disappoint me,
                Randy.

                                MAN
                Maybe that's because I'm not Randy.

                                SIDNEY
                So who are you?

                                MAN
                The question is not who am I. The
                question is where am I?

                                SIDNEY
                So where are you?

                                MAN
                Your front porch.

This gives her pause.  She moves to the window and pulls aside the drapes.

                                SIDNEY
                Why would you call me from my
                front porch?

                                MAN
                That's the original part.

ANGLE THROUGH WINDOW.  She can't quite see all of the porch.

                                SIDNEY
                Oh yeah? Well I call your bluff.

Sidney goes to the front door.  She unlocks the bolt, unsnags the chain, and pulls the door open...revealing the front porch...

COMPLETELY EMPTY.

She steps out onto it, phone still in hand.  A single light shines overhead illuminating the porch, but little beyond.  Darkness is all around.

                                SIDNEY
                So where are you?

                                MAN
                Right here.

Sidney peers out into the darkness past thick shrubs that grow on either side of the porch.

                                SIDNEY
                Can you see me right now?

                                MAN
                Uh-huh.

                                SIDNEY
                What am I doing?

She sticks her finger up her nose, pretending to pick.  Silence.  No answer.

                                SIDNEY
                Good try, Randy. Tell Tatum to hurry.
                Bye now.

                                MAN
                If you hang up, you'll die just like your 
                mother.

Sidney stops dead in her tracks, speechless.

                                MAN
                        (deadly)
                Do you want to die, Sidney? Your mother
                didn't.

His seriousness unnerves her.  Sid flies off the handle.

                                SIDNEY
                FUCK YOU! YOU CRETIN!

She hangs up on him.  Moves back inside the house.  Locks, chains, and bolts the door when...

A FIGURE COMES LEAPING OUT OF THE HALL CLOSET

rushing her, ramming into her side..the phone flies..the FIGURE is on top of her as she goes down...SCREAMING...

She looks up to see the FIGURE, darkly dressed with a pale, distorted face, white and ghostly...a mask.

Her instincts surface and she kicks up with her foot making the contact with his leg...he topples over...coming right at her, his hand finding her neck.  Suddenly, along, silver blade appears above her.

Sidney pulls, jerks, twists...finally she lifts her torso forward knocking the FIGURE off her...sending him reeling into the living room.  Wasting no time, Sidney leaps to her feet.

She moves to the front door, unlocks it...pulls it open...it catches on the chain.  Shit!  She pushes it closed again looking behind her..the FIGURE has risen, knife in hand.
Sidney pulls on the chain and then-inexplicably turns and...

RUNS UP THE STAIRS.  The FIGURE right behind her.

INT.  UPSTAIRS LANDING

The FIGURE leaps at Sidney taking hold of her foot, she grabs madly at the wall...her hands grasp a framed painting-a quiet country home, subdued colors, done in oils-she rips it from the wall swinging it behind her...

It catches the FIGURE head on, smashing against his skull, sending him backwards, tumbling down the stairs.  Sidney races to her bedroom...

INT.  BEDROOM

She locks the door shut, the pulls her closet door open, placing the edge right at the door knob just as...

THE FIGURE POUNDS AGAINST THE BEDROOM DOOR...

ramming it, it rips open, but the closet door catches it in a crazy vice-like hold.

Sidney grabs the desk phone.  It's dead...off the hook downstairs.

The figure rushes the door several times..the frame splinters..but won't give.

Sidney is at her computer, she punches at the keypad madly.

CLOSE ON SCREEN AS WORDS APPEAR.

                FAX MODEM

                9-1-1 SEND

The knife slashes through the crack in the door wildly.

ON SCREEN AGAIN

                HELP KILLER

                34 ELM ST

Sidney presses SEND when it occurs to her-all is quiet.  The FIGURE is gone.  A fearful silence.  She looks around...the only sound her own rapid, terrified BREATHING.

ON THE SCREEN

                "Stay calm.  Police enroute."

Suddenly a NOISE at the window...Sidney looks up to see...

BILLY

her boyfriend, staring at her, surprised.

                                SIDNEY
                Oh Billy...Please...God...

                                BILLY
                I heard screaming. The door was locked.
                Are you okay...

                                SIDNEY
                He's here. He's trying to kill me...

Billy pulls himself through the window.  As he does, a small black object falls from his dark jeans.  It hits the floor as Sidney eyes it...a sleek, compact cellular phone.

Sidney stops in her tracks.  Their eyes meet...an eternity.  A SIREN is heard in the distance.  Sidney bolts...

                                BILLY
                Hey...wait...what's goin..

Billy reaches for her.  Sidney unblocks the bedroom door and tears out of the room.

INT.  LANDING

Sidney nearly falls down the stairs...

INT.  FOYER

She rips the chain off the door, pulls it open, coming face to face with a white, ghostly mask.
A massive SCREAM erupts from her gut as...

THE CAMERA PULLS BACK

to find Dewey-Deputy Riley, holding it.  Red lights flash, sirens BLAST vas car after car surrounds the house.

Sidney falls into the safety of Dewey's arms.

EXT.  FRONT YARD - MINUTES LATER

The yard is a whirlwind of activity.  An ambulance, squad cars, cops everywhere...

CLOSE ON BILLY'S FACE

as it SMASHES against the hood of a police car.  His hands are being cuffed, his rights being read.

                                BILLY
                        (screaming)
                I didn't do anything! Sid...where's Sid?
                Ask her, she'll tell ya...

Dewey holds a car door open as Sheriff Burke steps out.

                                DEWEY
                We got him, Sheriff. Billy Loomis.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Hank Loomis' kid? Aw..Jesus...

                                DEWEY
                He's her boyfriend.

They approach Billy as he's being placed in a squad car.

                                BILLY
                Sheriff...I didn't do it...please, call
                my Dad..please...

The squad car disappears with Billy as another car comes to a stop in front of the house.  Tatum gets out, freaked beyond belief.

Back to the Sheriff and Dewey as they storm across the yard.

                                DEWEY
                I was first to respond.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                What were you doing out here?

                                DEWEY
                Drive by patrol.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                How is she?

                                DEWEY
                She's tough.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Have to be. The shit she's gone through.

Across the yard sits Sidney, in the back of an ambulance as PARAMEDICS check her out.

Sheriff Burke and Riley approach.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                We're seeing a lot of you today.

She tries to smile but fails.

                                DEWEY
                You gonna be able to come down to the
                station and talk to us a bit?

                                SIDNEY
                ..yeah...

TATUM appears, barreling past an OFFICER.

                                TATUM
                What happened? Oh God...

Tatum rushes to her, grabbing hold of her.

                                DEWEY
                        (to Tatum)
                What are you doing here?

                                TATUM
                Oh, God, Sid, I'm sorry I was late.

                                DEWEY
                You can't be here, Tatum. This is an
                official crime scene.

                                SIDNEY
                It's okay. She was supposed to pick me 
                up.

                                TATUM
                Her dad's out of town. She's staying
                with us.

                                DEWEY
                Does mom know?

                                TATUM
                Yes, you doofus.

Two news vans come driving up the street.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                The vultures are coming. Let's get you
                out of here.

EXT.  STREET

A big, white news van comes to a stop in front of the house.  The side door slides open and Gale Weathers hops out just in time to see Sidney being escorted to a squad car.

                                GALE
                I'll be damned.

Jumping from the driver's seat is KENNY, Gale's cameraman and flunky.  An earnest young chap on the chubby side.

                                KENNY
                What? What?

                                GALE
                Jesus! The camera-hurry!

But it's too late.  Sidney is as good as gone.  Gale sees Tatum moving quickly to her car.

                                GALE
                Excuse me?

Tatum looks up to see Gale Weathers rushing her.

                                GALE
                Was that Sidney Prescott they took away?

                                TATUM
                I don't know.

Tatum hops in her car, ignoring her.

                                GALE
                What happened to her?

                                TATUM
                I'm not talking to you.

Tatum's car peels out as Kenny comes running up with his camera.

                                KENNY
                Where'd she go?

Gale spins around, flashing her pearly whites.

                                GALE
                Look, Kenny, I know you're about fifty
                pounds overweight but when I say hurry
                please interpret that as...MOVE YOUR
                FAT TUB OF LARD ASS NOW!

Gale moves back to the van leaving Kenny miffed.

INT.  POLICE STATION

A small town station.  The bull pen is a little square room with four desks and tonight--it's hopping.  Cops everywhere.

INT.  SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Sidney sits at a desk drinking a cup of water.  She wears the Sheriff's jacket over her shoulders.  Dewey approaches.

                                SIDNEY
                Did you reach my Dad?

                                DEWEY
                You're sure it was the Hilton?

                                SIDNEY
                At the airport.

                                DEWEY
                He's not registered. Could he have gone
                to another hotel?

                                SIDNEY
                I don't know. I guess.

                                DEWEY
                We'll find him, Sid. Don't worry.

Sidney stares blankly, numb.

INT.  SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Billy sits opposite Sheriff Burke.  Next to Billy, sits his father, HANK LOOMIS, an older version of Billy.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                What are you doing with a cellular
                telephone, son?

                                MR. LOOMIS
                It's my phone. He was just playing 
                around with it.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                You got some ideas of playing around, boy.

                                BILLY
                I didn't call anyone with it. I just
                took it for fun.

                                MR. LOOMIS
                Everybody's got one now. Why don't you
                check the phone bill for chrissakes.
                Call my carrier--AirFone Comp. They'll
                have records of every number dialed.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Thank you, Hank. We're on it. What were 
                you doing out at Sidney's tonight?

                                BILLY
                I just wanted to see her, that's all.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                You rode your bike out there?

                                BILLY
                Yes, sir.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                And last night? Sidney said you crawled
                through her window last night too?

                                MR. LOOMIS
                        (surprised)
                You were out last night?

                                BILLY
                I watched TV for awhile but the I felt 
                like going for a bike ride.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Did you ride past Casey Becker's house?

                                BILLY
                No, I didn't. I didn't kill anyone,
                Sheriff.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                We're gonna have to keep you, Billy. The
                governor's got SBI, FBI, and god knows
                who else on their way down here.

Billy fights tears.

                                BILLY
                This is crazy. I didn't do it.

Sheriff Burke eyes him up and down, very carefully.

INT.  POLICE BULL PEN - MINUTES LATER

Tatum has joined Sidney.  The sheriff's door opens and Billy is led out by a coupla UNIFORMS.  Burke and Dewey appear in the door watching Tatum comfort Sidney.

OUT OF EAR SHOT

                                DEWEY
                That ghost mask is sold at both Kroger's
                and WalMart. Neither of which keep
                purchase records.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                What about the cellular phone bill?

                                DEWEY
                They're pulling Loomis' account. But
                it'll be morning before we see something.
                You think he did it?

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Twenty years ago I woulda said not a
                chance. But these kids today...damn if I 
                know.

                                TATUM
                        (o.s.)
                Hey...Dewey. Can we go now?

                                DEWEY
                Hold up a sec...

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                She staying with you?

                                DEWEY
                We haven't located her Dad yet.

                                TATUM
                        (o.s.)
                Goddammit, Dewey!

Dewey turns to her, his face red.

                                DEWEY
                What did Mama tell you? When I wear this
                badge you treat me like a man of the law.

                                TATUM
                I'm sorry, Deputy Dewey-boy but we're
                ready to go.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Use the back way. Avoid the circus.

EXT.  POLICE STATION - SIDE DOOR

The door opens and Sidney, Tatum, Dewey, and a coupla OFFICERS exit avoiding the horde of REPORTERS that can be seen around the corner waiting anxiously at the front entrance.

                                DEWEY
                I'll get the car. Wait here.

Dewey takes off.  From the darkness of the alley, Gale Weathers appears with Kenny and his camera.  They've been waiting.

                                GALE
                Hello Sidney.

Sidney spins around to see Gale, standing, smiling at her.  Sidney's body tightens and her face goes taut.

                                GALE
                Some night. Are you alright?

Their eyes meet in cold familiar stare.  Sidney says nothing.  She's visibly shaking.

                                GALE
                What happened?

                                TATUM
                She's not answering any questions. Just
                leave us alone, okay?

                                SIDNEY
                It's okay, Tatum. She's just doing her
                job. Right, GALE?

                                GALE
                Yes, that's right.

Dewey, in a squad car, turns into the alley and pulls up.  The other news people have wisened up.  They begin to flock the alley.

                                SIDNEY
                How's the book?

                                GALE
                It'll be out later this year.

Sidney tries to contain herself..squeezing a clenched fist.

                                SIDNEY
                I'll look for it.

                                GALE
                I'll send you a copy.

In a blurred, unexpected instant, Sidney brings her fist forward, SMASHING it hard into Gale Weathers's face.  The impact sends Gale reeling backwards, knocking into Kenny as they both tumble to the pavement.

ON SIDNEY...breathing deep, a sense of satisfaction on her face.

INT.  TATUM'S BEDROOM - LATER

A spacious bedroom.  Typical.  Tatum and Sidney lay on the bed.  They both wear night shirts.

                                TATUM
                God, I loved it. "I'll send you a copy."
                BAM! Bitch went down. "I'll send you a
                copy." BAM! Sid--SuperBitch!

Dewey appears in the doorway holding a bag of ice.

                                DEWEY
                I thought you might want some ice for
                that right hook.

Sidney sits up, takes the ice, and puts it on her hand.

                                DEWEY
                I'll be right next door. Try to get some
                sleep.

Dewey moves back out the door.

                                SIDNEY
                Any word on my Dad?

                                DEWEY
                        (turning to her)
                Not yet, but we're looking. If you need
                anything...

                                TATUM
                Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Dewey smiles, pulling the door closed on his way out.  Sidney lies back down.

                                SIDNEY
                Just another sleepover at the Riley's.

                                TATUM
                Just like old times, ain't it?

                                SIDNEY
                No, nothing's like it used to be.

Sidney rolls over at her side, away from Tatum.

A telephone RINGS somewhere in the house.

                                TATUM
                Do you really think Billy did it?

                                SIDNEY
                He was there, Tatum.

                                TATUM
                I knew this guy was too perfect. He was
                destined to have a flaw.

A KNOCK at the door.  It opens and a friendly, graying woman pops in.  This is MAMA RILEY.  She wears a comforting smile.

                                MAMA RILEY
                Telephone, dear.

                                TATUM
                Who is it?

                                MAMA RILEY
                It's for Sid

                                SIDNEY
                My Dad?

Mama Riley shakes her head sadly.

                                TATUM
                Take a message.

                                SIDNEY
                It's alright. I'll get it.

Sidney takes off out the door.  Mama Riley motions to Tatum.

                                MAMA RILEY
                        (whispers)
                How is she?

Tatum shrugs.

INT.  HALLWAY

Sidney grabs the phone at the end of the hall.

                                SIDNEY
                Hello?

                                MAN
                        (from phone)
                Hello Sidney.

IT'S HIM.  The CAMERA does a Hitchcock as Sidney's entire body goes weak..his VOICE moving through her..invading her.  She CRIES OUT.

                                SIDNEY
                NOOOOOO...

Mama Riley turns in the doorway.  Tatum comes bolting out of the bedroom.

                                MAN
                        (from phone)
                Poor Billy-boyfriend. An innocent guy
                doesn't stand a chance with you.

                                SIDNEY
                LEAVEMEALONE!

                                MAN
                Looks like you fingered the wrong
                guy...again.

                                SIDNEY
                Who are you?

                                TATUM
                Hang up, Sid.

                                MAN
                Don't worry. You'll find out soon
                enough. I promise.

Mama Riley BEATS on a closed bedroom door.

                                MAMA RILEY
                Dewey! Dewey!

                                MAN
                This is gonna be fun, Sidney. Just like
                old times.

CLICK.

Dewey flies out of his room wearing only his boxers...holding his gun.

                                DEWEY
                What? What?

The phone goes dead.  Sidney stands frozen.

EXT.  BAYBORO MAIN STREET - DAWN - ESTABLISHING

The morning sun shines high over Bayboro Townsquare.  Cars come to life, townsfolk stir as the picture postcard community awakens from a restless sleep.

INT.  KITCHEN - MORNING

Sidney and Tatum sit at the kitchen table, dressed and ready for school as Mama Riley serves up breakfast.  A small television sits on the counter BLARING.

Dewey, in uniform, stands near the door, talking on the phone.

                                MAMA RILEY
                I think you girls really should stay home
                today.

                                TATUM
                Your objection is duly noted.

                                SIDNEY
                I'd rather be around a lot of people,
                Mama Riley.

From the TV, Sidney hears her name, "SIDNEY PRESCOTT..."  All eyes go to the television.

                                REPORTER
                        (on TV)
                ..who escaped a vicious attack last night
                was the daughter of Maureen Prescott who
                was brutally killed last year when
                convicted murderer Cotton Weary...

INSERT of COTTON WEARY, in prison fatigues.  A once handsome man, now haggard and worn.

                                REPORTER
                        (cont'd)
                ..broke into their home and savagely
                raped and tortured the deceased. Cotton
                Weary is currently awaiting appeal for
                the death sentence handed down after the
                young Sidney testified against him. She
                was the key witness in the state's 
                prosecution...

                                SIDNEY
                It's never gonna stop. Is it?

Dewey is off the phone.

                                DEWEY
                Billy was released. His cellular bill
                was clean. He didn't make those calls.

                                SIDNEY
                Somebody called me, Dewey. I'm not
                making it up.

                                DEWEY
                I know. We're checking every cellular 
                account in the county. Any calls made to
                you or Casey Becker are being cross-
                referenced. It's gonna take time but
                we'll find him.

                                SIDNEY
                And my Dad? Any word on him?

Riley shakes his head "no".

EXT.  SCHOOL STREET - LATER

Once again, REPORTERS line the street attacking students as they make their way to school, asking questions, hungry for that teenage insight.

Dewey's patrol jeep cruises by.  Sidney watches from the passenger's window.

INT.  PATROL CAR

Dewey pulls up in front of the school.  Tatum hops out while Sid lingers, suddenly unsure.  Dewey takes notice.

                                DEWEY
                Hey, it's school. You'll be safe here.

Sidney forces herself out of the jeep as a microphone is shoved in her face...

                                REPORTER
                How does it feel to almost be brutally 
                murdered?

Dewey leaps from the car, intercepting the reporter.

                                DEWEY
                Leave the girl alone, will ya? She wants
                to go to school.

Sidney eyes the newsvan that's pulled up behind her.  The side door slides open and Gale Weathers steps out.

                                TATUM
                Come on, Sid.

                                SIDNEY
                Just a sec...I need to talk to someone.

She heads over to Gale.

EXT.  NEWSVAN - STREET

Sidney, puts her head down, hiding her face...avoiding other reporters as she makes her way to...

Gale who sits in the open door, checking her face in a mirror.  Makeup tries hard to hide Sid's handwork-a swollen black and blue right cheek.

Gale spots Sidney immediately and leaps to her feet.

                                GALE
                Stop right there.

Sidney throws her hands up in surrender.

                                SIDNEY
                I'm not here to fight.

                                GALE
                Just stay back.

                                SIDNEY
                I want to talk to you.

                                GALE
                        (calling into the van)
                Kenny. Camera. Now.

Kenny's head darts out from the van.

                                SIDNEY
                Off the record. No cameras.

                                GALE
                Forget it.

Sidney contains herself.

                                SIDNEY
                Please. You owe me.

                                GALE
                I owe you shit.

Gale moves inside the van.  But Sidney is relentless.

                                SIDNEY
                You owe my mother.

                                GALE
                Your mother's murder was last year's
                hottest court case. Somebody was gonna 
                write a book about it.

                                SIDNEY
                And it had to be you with all your lies
                and bullshit theories.

                                GALE
                What is your problem? You got what you
                wanted. Cotton Weary is in jail.
                They're gonna gas him. A book is not
                gonna change that.

                                SIDNEY
                Do you still think he's innocent?

Gale's interest is peaked.  She eyes Sidney suspiciously.

                                GALE
                He was convicted in a court of law. Your
                testimony put him away. It doesn't 
                matter what I think.

                                SIDNEY
                During the trial, you did all those 
                stories about me. You called me a liar.

                                GALE
                I think you falsely identified him. Yes.

                                SIDNEY
                Have you talked to Cotton?

                                GALE
                Many times.

                                SIDNEY
                Has his story changed?

                                GALE
                Not one word. He admits to having sex
                with your mother but that's all.

                                SIDNEY
                He's lying. She wouldn't have touched
                him. He raped her, then butchered her.
                Her blood was all over his coat.

                                GALE
                He was drunk that night. He left his
                coat at your house, after your mother
                seduced him...

                                SIDNEY
                I saw him leaving wearing it.

                                GALE
                But couldn't it have been someone else
                you saw wearing that coat? The same
                person who planted it in Cotton's car,
                framing him? The same person who 
                really killed your mother?

A long beat.  Sidney considers this for the millionth time.

                                SIDNEY
                No, Cotton murdered my mother.

But there's doubt in her voice.  Gale's face lights up.

                                GALE
                You're not so sure anymore, are you?

Sidney clams up.

                                SIDNEY
                No, it was Cotton.

Tatum comes waltzing up.

                                TATUM
                        (to GALE)
                Nice welt.

Gale ignores her, zeroing in on Sidney, half realizing.

                                GALE
                The killer is still on the loose, isn't 
                he? These murders are related.

                                TATUM
                Yo--let's rock.

Sidney starts to fidget.

                                SIDNEY
                I'm sorry I mangled your face.

She take off with Tatum.  Gale calls after her.

                                GALE
                Wait, Sidney, don't go...

But Sidney and Tatum have already disappeared in the crowd of students moving across campus.

Gale looks to Kenny.

                                GALE
                Jesus Christ! An innocent man on death
                row. A killer still on the loose.
                Kenny, tell me I'm dreaming.

                                KENNY
                You want to go live?

Gale's mind races with possibilities.

                                GALE
                No, not so fast. We have nothing
                concrete.

                                KENNY
                When did that ever stop you? You can't
                sit on this. This is huge.

                                GALE
                If I'm gonna blow this up-I need hard
                proof.

                                KENNY
                But it's so much easier when we make it
                up.

                                GALE
                Not this time. I owe Cotton that much.
                Hell, even I thought that man was guilty.

EXT.  SCHOOL CAMPUS - SECONDS LATER

Tatum and Sidney make their way across campus.

                                TATUM
                Just relax. You're at school now. No
                one can get you here.

                                SIDNEY
                But if it wasn't Billy it could be
                anybody. He could be here at school
                right now.

They move up the walk as a FIGURE falls in step behind them, sporting a WHITE GHOST MASK.

                                TATUM
                Serial killers are smart by definition.
                They minimize their risk. They plan and
                pre-calculate everything. Showing up
                here would be the most lame-brain
                move he could make.

                                SIDNEY
                He promised me he'd be back.

As easy as the figure appeared, it disappears-falling out of site, unseen by either of them.

                                TATUM
                I wouldn't put too much stock in a
                psycho's promise.

They move up the front steps toward the main doors of the school as the GHOST MASKED FIGURE reappears...standing at the top of the steps...Sidney sees it first, stopping dead in her tracks.

She steps back, spinning around to find...

A GHOST FACE behind her as well, both of them approaching, closing in on her.  Sidney starts to SCREAM when the two ghosts bust up LAUGHING, tearing off across campus.

EXT.  STREET

In front of the school we catch up a REPORTER doing a live remote.  He holds a mask in his hand.

                                REPORTER
                This morning several students, in what
                appears to be a prank, have been spotted
                wearing masks. School officials have yet
                to comment but this is the same type of
                mask worn by the killer...

INT. HALLWAY - MINUTES LATER

Just before the bell.  The hallway is congested with students heading to class.  Tatum is at her locker with Sidney.

                                SIDNEY
                This is a mistake. I shouldn't be here.

                                TATUM
                I want you to meet me here right after
                class, okay?

Billy appears in the crowd, with Stu tagging behind.  Tatum spots him first.

                                TATUM
                Shit, what is he doing here?

                                SIDNEY
                I bet he's pissed.

                                TATUM
                Just ignore him. You had good reason to 
                think what you did.

Billy and Stu approach.  Billy's face is solemn.

                                BILLY
                Hi, Sid. Can we talk a sec?

Sidney says nothing.  She can barely look at him.  Tatum intervenes.

                                TATUM
                You know if I were accused of carving up
                two people, I'd take the opportunity to
                skip school.

                                STU
                Hey, go easy, Tatum. He didn't do it.

                                BILLY
                Talk to me, Sid.

Suddenly, a SCREAM erupts.  All eyes go to a GHOST MASKED STUDENT running down the hall, screaming wildly, running amuck.

                                SIDNEY
                Why are they doing this?

                                STU
                Are you kidding? This is like Christmas.

Billy punches Stu in the side.

                                STU
                Owwww...

                                BILLY
                You open your mouth and stupidity pours
                out.

                                STU
                Sorry.

Sidney, clearly upset, takes off down the hall.  Billy races off after her.

                                TATUM
                        (yelling)
                Stay away from her, Billy.

Tatum SLAMS her locker door shut as the bell RINGS.

INT.  CORRIDOR - SECONDS LATER

With first period underway, the halls have cleared.  One or two struggling students can be seen rushing to class.

Sidney moves quickly down the hall, rounding a corner, running smack into...

BILLY

They collide hard catching Sidney off guard, scaring the life out of her.  She falls backwards, but Billy catches her fall.

                                SIDNEY
                Jesus, SHIT!

                                BILLY
                Hey, hey, it's just me.

Sidney pulls away from him quickly.  Billy feels the slight.

                                BILLY
                What? You don't still think it's me?

Sidney catches her breath.

                                SIDNEY
                No...I don't...it's just...Oh God, Billy,
                someone was there, someone tried to 
                kill me.

                                BILLY
                The police say I scared him off. It
                wasn't me, Sid.

                                SIDNEY
                I know. He called again last night at
                Tatum's house.

                                BILLY
                See, it couldn't have been me. I was in
                jail, remember?

                                SIDNEY
                I'm so sorry...please understand.

                                BILLY
                Understand what? That I got a girlfriend
                who would rather accuse me of being a 
                psychopathic killer than touch me.

                                SIDNEY
                You know that's not true.

                                BILLY
                Then what is it? Is there somebody else?

                                SIDNEY
                No...

                                BILLY
                Is it the sex thing? Am I being too
                pushy?

                                SIDNEY
                No, it's me, Billy. I need time. I'm
                still adjusting to my mom.

                                BILLY
                It's been a year since she died.

                                SIDNEY
                        (correcting him)
                Tomorrow. One year tomorrow.

                                BILLY
                When are you gonna let that go, Sid?
                When my mom left my dad--I just accepted
                it. This is the way it is. She's not coming
                back.

                                SIDNEY
                        (sharply)
                Your parents split up. It's not the same
                thing. Your mom left town, she's not in
                a coffin somewhere.

                                BILLY
                You have to move on, Sid.

Sidney starts to walk away but turns back, angry.

                                SIDNEY
                I'm glad to know you're coping so well
                with life, Billy. But some of us aren't so
                perfect. Some of us are just trying to
                hold on.

Sidney disappears through a door marked GIRL'S BATHROOM, leaving Billy alone in the hallway.  He SMACKS his forehead, pissed at himself.

INT.  GIRL'S BATHROOM

Large and spacious.  Closed bathroom stalls line one wall facing a row of sinks and a huge mirror.  Sidney enters as TWO GIRLS tinkle and talk--each from their respective stalls.

                                GIRL #1
                She was never attacked. I think she made
                it all up.

                                GIRL #2
                Why would she lie about it?

                                GIRL #1
                For attention. The girl has some serious 
                issues.

Sidney listens intently.

A toilet FLUSHES.  Sidney quickly jumps in a stall, hiding, just as GIRL #1 appears from a stall.  She looks like that voice--a snotty little twit.

                                GIRL #1
                What if she did it? What if Sidney
                killed Casey and Steve?

                                GIRL #2
                And why would she do that?

                                GIRL #1
                Maybe she was hot for Steve and killed
                them both in a jealous rage.

Another toilet FLUSHES.

                                GIRL #2
                Why would Sidney want to be with Steve?
                She has her own bubble-butt boyfriend Billy.

                                GIRL #1
                Maybe she's a slut just like her mom.

INSIDE THE STALL Sidney listens.  Her face weakening.

                                GIRL #2
                You're evil.

                                GIRL #1
                Please, it's common knowledge. Her
                mother was a trollop.

GIRL #2 appears from her stall--another twit.  They both stand in front of the mirror adjusting two snotty faces.

                                GIRL #2
                Cut some slack. She watched her mom get
                butchered.

                                GIRL #1
                And it fucked her up royally. Think
                about it. It makes perfect sense. Her
                mom's death leaves her distraught and
                hostile at a cruel and inhumane world,
                she's disillusioned, where's God, etc.
                Completely suicidal. And one day she
                snaps. She wants to kill herself but
                realizes teen suicide is out this year.
                And homicide is a much healthier
                therapeutic expression.

From the stall, Sidney listens, her heart pounding, jaw quivering.

                                GIRL #2
                Where do you get this shit?

                                GIRL #1
                Ricki Lake.

The two girls exit.  Sidney moves out of the stall, catching her reflection in the mirror.

                                SIDNEY
                Pathetic.

Water DRIPS somewhere from a leaky pipe as wind WHISTLES in from the cracked transom above the bathroom door.  It sound almost like a whisper,   "Siddneey..."

Sidney spins around.  What the...  She checks out the bathroom.  The doors to the stalls are all closed.  She bends down and scans beneath them, looking for feet.  No one.  Nothing.

Sidney turns back to the mirror.  Suddenly...

                                MAN
                        (o.c. whisper)
                Siddneey...

Unmistakable this time.  The VOICE strikes Sidney like a nail through the eye.  It comes from one of the stalls.  She stands thunderstruck, eyeing the stalls thru the mirror.

                                SIDNEY
                Is someone there?

A long, morose silence.  And then:

                                MAN
                        (softly, simply)
                It's me, Sidney.

Sidney spins around.  Fuck no!  HE'S HERE.  Terror floods her face.  She eyes the exit door, then the row of stalls she must pass to get to it.

She checks under the stalls again.  Nothing...where the fuck is he?  She takes a step forward when...

TWO FEET step down from a toilet onto the floor in the last stall.  Sidney's face draws tight as the stall door begins to CREAK open.  She bolts forward, making a break for it...but slips on the wet floor...her feet flying out from under...

Sidney reaches out...grabs hold of a sink...saves herself from falling...she glimpses a GHOST MASK in the mirror coming for her.  A hand grabs her shoulder as she SLAMS her body through the exit door...narrowly escaping.

INT.  CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

Sidney flies out of the bathroom door SCREAMING...burning up the hallway, not looking back.  A TEACHER, hearing her SCREAM, peer out from an open doorway...as Sidney sprints by him, not stopping...running madly.

INT.  PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

CLOSE on a red-faced Principal Himbry as he reads someone the riot act.

MR. HIMBRY
I'm sickened. Your whole havoc-inducing,
thieving, whoring generation disgusts me.

The CAMERA SWINGS AROUND to reveal two GHOST MASKED STUDENTS standing at attention.  Mr. Himbry rips the mask off of one of the student's heads.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                Two students have been savagely murdered.
                And this is how we express our compassion
                and sensivity?

He rips the mask off the other student.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                We throw on a mask and dance around
                campus just hoping someone else gets
                butchered before we get bored again.
                You're both expelled.

The GHOSTS doth protest...

                                GHOST #1
                Aw, come on, Mr. Himbry, it was just a
                joke.

                                GHOST #2
                Yeah, that's not fair.

A deep rooted hostility has taken over Mr. Himbry's face.  Neither student budges, scared to even breathe.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                No, it's not fair. Fairness would be to
                rip your insides out and hang you from 
                a tree so you can be exposed for the
                desensitized, heartless little shits that
                you are.

Suddenly the door BURSTS open and Sidney appears, hysterical.

                                SIDNEY
                        (crying)
                He's here...I saw him...he's here...

Mr. Himbry rushes to her, arms outstretched.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                Easy child.

Sidney collapses in his arms.

EXT.  SCHOOL STREET - MINUTES LATER

Dewey's patrol jeep is parked in front of the school.  He stands in the open driver's door talking on the radio.

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                        (from radio)
                She's okay. Looks like some boys were
                teasing her. Himbry's shutting down the
                school though. I want you to take look 
                around.

                                DEWEY
                Yes, sir, sheriff.

Dewey shuts the jeep door and heads for campus when Gale Weathers appears, her fake face aglow.

                                GALE
                Hi! Gale Weathers. Field Correspondent,
                INSIDE STORY.

                                DEWEY
                I know who you are, ma'am. How's the
                eye?

                                GALE
                Productive. So they're closing down the
                school?

                                DEWEY
                Well..uh...yes ma'am. For the time being.

Dewey heads for the school building. Gale scurries along side him flirtatiously.

                                GALE
                And why is that? Has something happened?

                                DEWEY
                You're not supposed to be here, ma'am.

                                GALE
                I know, I should be in New York covering
                the Sharon Stone stalker but who knew?
                Please, call me Gale. You look awfully
                young to be a police officer.

Dewey's eyes wander down to Gale's long legs, the way her hips move as she walks...he's clearly distracted.

                                DEWEY
                I'm twenty-five years old, ma'am.

                                GALE
                Twenty-five, huh? In a demographic study
                I proved to be most popular amongst
                males, 11-24. I just missed you. Of course,
                you don't look a day over twelve, except 
                in the upper torso area. Does the force
                require that you work out?

Dewey looks away, blushing a bit.

                                DEWEY
                No, ma'am. Because of my boyish good
                looks, muscle mass has increased my
                acceptance as a serious police officer.

They approach the school's front entrance.  Suddenly, Mr. Himbry's VOICE in amplified through intercoms across campus via the PA system.  They stop to listen.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                        (via PA)
                "Your attention please. Due to the
                recent events that have occurred and
                until it comes to a resolve--effective
                immediately--all classes are suspended
                til further notice. The Bayboro Police
                Dept. has also asked me to announce a
                city wide curfew beginning at 6 o'clock
                PM. I repeat..."

Gale speaks over Mr. Himbry's voice.

                                GALE
                Boy, you people sure do make fuss over
                a serial killer.

                                DEWEY
                Serial killer is not really accurate,
                ma'am. The killer has yet to strike 
                twice.

                                GALE
                Well, we can hope, can't we? We
                certainly don't have any leads. A ghost
                mask, a cellular phone--not much there.

                                DEWEY
                We're tracking the cellular phone bill.

                                GALE
                Really? You small town guys are good.
                And have you located Sidney's father?

                                DEWEY
                No, not yet.

                                GALE
                He's not a suspect, is he?

                                DEWEY
                We haven't ruled out that possibil...

Dewey, realizing he's said too much, clams up.

                                DEWEY
                If you'll excuse me, ma'am.

                                GALE
                Am I keeping you? I'm sorry.

                                DEWEY
                That's quite alright. If I may say so,
                ma'am, you're much prettier in person.

Dewey starts up the school's front steps as the bell RINGS.

                                GALE
                So you do watch the show?

He turns to her earnestly as STUDENTS come pouring out the front doors.

                                DEWEY
                I just turned 25. I was 24 for a whole
                year.

                                GALE
                You are precious. Please, call me Gale.

She smiles deliciously, gives him a wink, then struts off as Dewey, like a nervous little school boy watches her go.

INT.  SCHOOL CORRIDOR - SECONDS LATER

School is clearing out.  The halls have begun to empty as Tatum escorts Sidney down the hallway.

                                TATUM
                It was just some sick fuck having a
                laugh.

                                SIDNEY
                It was him, Tatum. I know it.

Tatum wants to believe her but...

                                TATUM
                You are not to be alone again. Is that
                clear? If you pee--I pee.

Stu appears.

                                STU
                Is this not cool or what? Hey, Sid,
                what happened?

                                TATUM
                For once, Stu, drop it.

                                STU
                Okay, but whatever you did--the entire
                student body thanks you.

Stu moves to Tatum and gives her a kiss.

                                STU
                And to celebrate this impromptu fall
                break, I propose we have a party.
                Tonight, my house.

                                SIDNEY
                Are you serious?

                                STU
                My parents are out of town. It'll be
                like my hurricane bash last year.
                Nothing extreme. Just a few of us,
                hangin'.

Tatum warms to the idea.

                                TATUM
                This could be good. What do you think,
                Sid?

                                SIDNEY
                I don't know...

                                TATUM
                Come on. Pathos has it's perks.

Sidney considers trying hard to be good spirited.

                                STU
                Remember, there's safety in numbers.

                                SIDNEY
                        (giving in)
                Yeah, okay...whatever.

                                STU
                Cool. See you guys tonight. Bring food.

Stu speeds off, sliding down the empty hallway.

INT.  PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE - LATER

Mr. Himbry sits at his desk staring at the ghosts masks before him.  He picks one of them up, snickering.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                Damn...

He stands and moves to the closet next to his office door.  He pulls it open to reveal a mirror hooked inside the door.  He tries the mask on, pulling it over his face, looking in the mirror when...

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR stops him.  He rips the mask off his head, turns to his office door and opens it to reveal...

AN EMPTY DOORWAY.  He pokes his head into the outer office area and looks around.  But no one's there.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                Yes? Hello?

The place is empty.  A little suspicious he closes the door, catching his reflection in the closet mirror.  He looks at the mask in his hands.  Jesus, even he's jumpy.  Two seconds later...

ANOTHER KNOCK AT THE DOOR.  Himbry grabs the door quickly, this time throwing it open.  Again no one's there.  He steps out into the outer office determined to catch a prankster.

INT.  OUTER OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Completely empty.  Mr. Himbry moves through the outer office and into the school corridor.  The overhead lights have been turned off and the corridor is now dark and deserted.  He looks up and down the hall.  Only a JANITOR is seen in the distance pushing a broom.

                                MR. HIMBRY
                Little shits.

Mr. Himbry returns to his office.

INT.  OFFICE - CONTINUOUS

Himbry reenters his office, moving to his desk, when he spots the closet door NOW CLOSED SHUT.

This gives him a pause-he had left it open.  Hadn't he?  Suddenly, he can't remember.  He shifts uneasy, reaching for the door knob, pulling the door open to reveal...

AN EMPTY CLOSET.  He stands still a moment, suddenly realizing someone could easily now be standing behind the open closet door.  Nervously, he pushes it shut to reveal...

NOTHING.  Himbry shakes away his jitters, realizing he's spooked himself.  He continues to his desk, pushing his office door shut when...

A GHOST MASKED FIGURE lunges from behind it...knife in hand.  Quick and easy.  Three quick jabs to the stomach and Himbry goes down.  The GHOST MASKED FIGURE towering above him.

EXT.  TATUM'S HOUSE - AFTERNOON - LATER

The late afternoon sun is quickly disappearing.

Tatum and Sidney rock on the front porch looking out into the small town neighborhood.  Dewey's patrol jeep is parked in the driveway.

Despite loud music, BLARING from an inside stereo, this is a quiet  moment.

                                TATUM
                Maybe Cotton Weary is telling the truth.
                Maybe he was having an affair with your
                mom.

                                SIDNEY
                So you think my mom was a slut too?

                                TATUM
                I didn't say that, Sid. But you know
                there were rumors. Your dad was 
                always out of town on business. 
                Maybe your mom was a very unhappy
                woman.

                                SIDNEY
                If they were having an affair how come
                that Cotton couldn't prove it in court?

                                TATUM
                You can't prove a rumor. That's why it's 
                a rumor.

                                SIDNEY
                Created by that little tabloid twit Gale
                Weathers.

                                TATUM
                        (delicately)
                It goes further back, Sid. There's been
                talk about other men.

                                SIDNEY
                And you believe it?

                                TATUM
                Well...you can only hear that Richard
                Gere-gerbil story so many times before
you have to start believing it.

A long silence as Sidney agonizes over all of this.  She stands up and moves to the edge of the porch and stares out onto the neighborhood.

                                SIDNEY
                If I was wrong Cotton, then he's still
                out there.

                                TATUM
                Don't go there, Sid. You're starting to
                sound like some Wes Carpenter flick.
                Don't freak yourself out--we've got a
                long night ahead of us.

                                SIDNEY
                You're right. I'm cracking up. Ignore
                me.

                                TATUM
                Come on, let's rock.

Sid follows Tatum inside the house never seeing the GHOST MASKED FIGURE that stands across the street, under a tree.  His presence so subtle and unobtrusive you'd have to see this movie a second time to know he was there all along.

EXT.  MAIN STREET - LATER

Stu is moving along main street when Billy comes barreling up next to him.

                                BILLY
                How'd you do?

                                STU
                Piece of cake. She'll be there.

                                BILLY
                Thanks, butt wart. You did good.

                                STU
                So you gonna try and make up with Sid?

                                BILLY
                Duh...that's quick.

                                STU
                I was just asking. Why are you always at
                me?

                                BILLY
                Because I'm trying to build your self-
                esteem. You're far too sensitive.

                                STU
                Oh....

Billy thumbs Stu's forehead.

                                BILLY
                You ready to party hard tonight?

                                STU
                You know it.

They come to a building centrally located in the heart of Main Street.  A huge, blue monstrosity that's bigger than the local bank and post office combined. The sign in front reads BLOCKBUSTER.

INT.  BLOCKBUSTER - CONTINUOUS

You typical Blockbuster--huge and crowded.  Randy, in his Blockbuster get up, is busy reshelving returns when Stu appears--knocking the videos out of his hand.

                                STU
                Jesus, this place is packed.

                                RANDY
                        (picking up videos)
                We had a run in the mass murder section.

                                STU
                You coming tonight?

                                RANDY
                Yeah, I'm off early--curfew you know.
                        (looking off)
                Now that's poor taste.

                                STU
                What?

Randy refers to Billy who stands down the aisle talking to TWO GIRLS.  (The twits from the bathroom perhaps.)

                                RANDY
                If you were the only suspect in a
                senseless bloodbath would you be standing
                in the horror section?

                                STU
                It was all a misunderstanding. He didn't
                do anything.

                                RANDY
                You're such a little lap dog. He's got
                killer printed all over his forehead.

                                STU
                The why'd the police let him go?

                                RANDY
                Because, obviously they don't watch 
                enough movies. This is standard horror
                movie stuff. PROM NIGHT revisited.

Randy moves down the aisle, reshelving videos.

                                STU
                Why would he want to kill his own 
                girlfriend?

                                RANDY
                There's always some stupid bullshit
                reason to kill your girlfriend. That's
                the beauty of it all. Simplicity.
                Besides, if it's too complicated you lose
                your target audience.

                                STU
                So what's his reason?

                                RANDY
                Maybe Sidney wouldn't have sex with him.

                                STU
                She's saving herself for you.

                                RANDY
                Could be. Now that Billy's tried to
                mutilate her, you think Sid would go out
                with me?

                                STU
                I think her father did it. How come they
                can't find his ass?

                                RANDY
                Because he's probably dead. His body
                will come popping out in the last reel
                somewhere...eyes gauged. See, the police
                are always off track with this shit, if they'd 
                watch PROM NIGHT they'd save time.
                There's formula to it. A very simple one.
                Everyone's always a suspect--the father,
                the principal, the town derelict...

                                STU
                Which is you...

                                RANDY
                So while they're off investigating a dead
                end, Billy, who's been written off as a
                suspect, is busy planning his next
                hunting expedition.

                                BILLY
                        (o.c.)
                How do we know you're not the killer?

Randy spins around to find Billy right behind him.  Busted.

                                RANDY
                Uh...hi, Billy.

                                BILLY
                Maybe your movie-freaked mind lost it's
                reality button?

Randy shrugs, laughing it off.

                                RANDY
                You're absolutely right. I'm the first
                to admit it. If this were a scary movie,
                I'd be the prime suspect.

                                STU
                And what would be your motive?

                                RANDY
                It's 1995--motives are incidental.

EXT.  MAIN STREET - LITTLE LATER

Dewey's patrol jeep makes it's way down mainstreet.  It's almost dark.  The street is close to deserted.

INT.  PATROL JEEP - CONTINUOUS

Dewey's behind the wheel having a heated conversation with Tatum while Sid stares out the window.

                                DEWEY
                A party? Mom's gonna kill you. Then me.

                                TATUM
                Don't be so self-righteous. It's just a 
                little blow out--we'll be perfectly safe.

Sid stares out the window. CLOSED SIGNS fill the storefronts, a few people rush to their car, in a hurry to beat curfew. 

                                SIDNEY
                God, look at this place, it's THE TOWN 
                THAT DREADED SUNDOWN. 

                                DEWEY
                Hey, I saw that movie. True story, 'bout 
                some killer in Texas. 

                                TATUM
                Hey, Sid. Just think if they make a 
                movie about you. Who's gonna play you? 

                                SIDNEY
                Oh, god... 

Dewey comes to a stop, parking the car in front of the police station. He looks to Sid with a brotherly smile. 

                                DEWEY
                I see you as a young Meg Ryan myself. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Thanks, Dewey. But with my luck they'd 
                cast Tori Spelling. 

EXT.  PATROL JEEP - CONTINUOUS 

They pile out of the jeep.  Dewey heads for the station. 

                                DEWEY
                I'll just be a few minutes. Don't go 
                far.

The girls take off for the local supermarket that sits across the street. 

                                SIDNEY
                Is Billy going to be there tonight? 

                                TATUM 
                He better not be. I told Stu to keep his 
                mouth shut. I think we can live without 
                EVERYBODY'S ALL AMERICAN for 
                one night. 

They approach the grocery store.  Small and simple.  Sid and Tatum grab a shopping cart from the bin and enter the store, pushing the cart through two sliding glass doors. 

A lone CHECKOUT LADY behind the counter, big and frumpy, looks up from counting money. 

                                CHECK OUT LADY 
                You girls gonna have to hurry it up. 
                We're under curfew. 

                                TATUM 
                Two minutes tops. 

They make a bee-line for the junk food section just as the automated doors slide shut behind them and a... 

GHOST MASKED FIGURE appears, out of nowhere, standing just outside, watching, quietly through the glass store windows.

EXT.  POLICE STATION - SHERIFF'S OFFICE 

Sheriff Burke's face heats up as Deputy Riley marches in, hurriedly. 

                                SHERIFF BURKE
                Dewey! Where the hell you been, boy?

                                DEWEY 
                Keeping my eye on Sidney. 

                                SHERIFF BURKE 
                Listen up, Dewey, because it's bad. Real 
                bad. Aircomp just faxed us. The calls 
                were listed to Neil Prescott--Sidney's 
                father. He made the calls with his cellular 
                phone. It's confirmed. 

                                DEWEY 
                Couldn't his cellular number have been 
                cloned? 

                                SHERIFF BURKE 
                There's more. Guess what tomorrow is? 
                The anniversary of his wife's death. It all 
                fits. He's our man. 

                                DEWEY 
                Have you contacted the bureau? 

                                SHERIFF BURKE 
                They believe he's out of state by now. 
                We'll keep roadblocks and curfew in 
                effect through the night. If he's not 
                picked up by morning--we'll do a house 
                to house. 

                                DEWEY 
                You think he could still be in town? 

                                SHERIFF BURKE 
                He'd have to be crazy. Where's Sidney? 

                                DEWEY 
                She's with my sister. Should I bring her 
                in? 

                                SHERIFF BURKE 
                Hold off for now. Just stay close to 
                her. 

                                DEWEY 
                She'll be with her friends over at Stu 
                Maker's tonight. 

                                SHERIFF BURKE 
                Watch her. Don't let on--just keep your 
                eyes out. 

                                DEWEY
                Yes, sir. 

INT.  SUPERMARKET - FEW MINUTES LATER 

Sidney and Tatum push a basket through the junk food section.  The store is completely empty.  The girls gab freely. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Billy's right. Whenever he touches me, I 
                just can't relax. 

                                TATUM 
                You have a few intimacy issues as a 
                result of your mother's untimely death.
                It's no big deal. You'll thaw out. 

                                SIDNEY 
                But he's been so patient with me, Tatum. 
                You know, with all the sex stuff. How 
                many guys would put up with a girlfriend 
                who's sexually anorexic? 

                                TATUM 
                Billy and his penis don't deserve you. 

Sidney grabs some chips and salsa from the shelf.  Down the aisle, through the storefront window the GHOST MASKED FIGURE still stands watching their every move. 

EXT.  SUPERMARKET 

Sid pushes the cart out of the glass door with Tatum riding it.  The GHOST MASKED FIGURE is nowhere to be found. 

                                SIDNEY 
                What do you think about when you're 
                having sex? 

                                TATUM 
                With Stu, there's little time to stop and 
                reflect. But sometimes before, to relax 
                and get in the mood, I think about Grant 
                Goodeve. 

Sid pushes the cart and Tatum across the street. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Who? 

                                TATUM 
                Grant Goodeve--the oldest brother on 
                EIGHT IS ENOUGH. Remember that show? He 
                was the one who lived off alone. He would come 
                around every now and then with his guitar and 
                sing "Eight is enough to fill our lives with love..."
                He had all these brain dead sisters and that idiot 
                brother from CHARLES IN CHARGE. God, I 
                was in love with Grant, he was so hot. The show 
                came on every day after school right during my 
                puberty years. Grant Goodeve was very instrumental 
                in my maturing as a woman. 

                                SIDNEY 
                How does that get you in the mood with 
                Stu? 

                                TATUM 
                During foreplay, I sing the theme song to 
                myself. "Eight is enough to fill our lives 
                with love..." It's a real turn on. 

                                SIDNEY 
                No way. 

                                TATUM 
                Grant wrote the song himself. I'm 
                convinced the lyrics had a secret
                meaning, "Eight is enough..." 

Sid pushes the cart up to Dewey's jeep.  Tatum hops off. 

                                SIDNEY 
                What secret meaning? Like a Satanical 
                thing? 

                                TATUM 
                Watch the show, Sid. His basket is 
                bigger than the one you're pushing. 

                                SIDNEY 
                TATUM! 

                                TATUM 
                Oh, Sidney. WHAT? A guy can talk tits 
                til he's dead but the minute you mention 
                an eight inch weenie. Watch out. 

Sidney stops just short of a laugh.  Tatum pulls the back jeep door, loading the groceries in.  Behind her, the GHOST MASKED FIGURE appears, just out of their sight, behind the jeep's open back door. 

                                TATUM 
                There's that sense of humor. I knew it 
                still existed. Ohh, Sid, let's have some 
                fun tonight. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Deal. 

Sidney moves to the back door and closes it shut, when from behind... 

DEWEY stands.  Sid jumps, startled. 

                                DEWEY 
                You girls ready. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Yeah. 

                                DEWEY 
                Looks like I'm your personal bodyguard 
                tonight, Sid. 

                                TATUM 
                No, Dewey. You'll ruin the whole night. 

                                DEWEY 
                Sorry, police orders. I'll stay out of the 
                way, I promise. 

                                TATUM 
                Shit. 

Tatum kicks the shopping cart out of the way, blindly.  It rolls down the road by itself, gaining speed on a decline running smack into the GHOST MASKED FIGURE who stops the cart cold with one hand. 

EXT.  COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT 

Dewey's jeep makes it's way down a long, winding road.  Headlights illuminate the thick woods that line each side.  Following behind them at a discreet distance is a huge white newsvan. 

Dewey comes to the end of the road.  It dead ends at... 

STU'S HOUSE which sits alone in a clearing, big and ominous with no neighbors in sight.  A huge old home just ripe for a night of fun and...terror. 

From the looks of things the party has already started.  Music is BLARING. A few KIDS hang on the porch. 

INT.  LIVING ROOM - MINUTES LATER 

A big room with KIDS sprinkled throughout-smoking, drinking, cutting up.  A stereo BLASTS music while the TV airs around the clock killer coverage. 

Tatum and Sid enter with groceries.  Various FRIENDS greet them. 

                                TATUM 
                Caterer's here. 

The girls carry bags through a hallway that opens up onto an enormous kitchen.  Stu and some GUYS are leaning over the sink drinking beer through a funnel. 

                                TATUM 
                That's mature. 

                                STU 
                Where you guys been? We had to start 
                without you. 

EXT.  STU'S HOUSE - ROAD 

The newsvan pulls up and parks unobtrusively on the side of the road a few feet down from the front yard. 

INT.  NEWSVAN 

Kenny and Gale move around inside the van.  Kenny hovers over a control panel complete with video monitors. 

                                KENNY 
                What's the plan? 

                                GALE 
                Prep the compact, we'll hide it in a 
                window and tape all of tonight's
                festivities. 

Kenny picks up a compact video camera the size of his fist.  He checks its battery pack. 

                                KENNY 
                The control board's glitched. You know 
                we can't carry a live picture. 

                                GALE 
                What's the delay? 

                                KENNY 
                About thirty seconds. 

                                GALE 
                As long as it records I don't give a 
                shit. We're not doing a remote. 

Gale slides open the side door and steps out into the darkness, not seeing the FIGURE that stands behind her.  A hand grabs her shoulder, Gale's heart stops as she spins around to find... 

Dewey, smiling, extremely pleased to see her. 

                                DEWEY 
                Evening, ma'am. 

                                GALE 
                Deputy...good evening. 

                                DEWEY 
                What brings you out to these parts? 

                                GALE 
                You never know when or where a story will 
                break. 

                                DEWEY 
                Not much story here. Just a bunch of 
                kids cutting loose. 

                                GALE 
                Then what are you doing here? 

                                DEWEY 
                Keeping an eye on things. Checking the 
                place out. 

                                GALE 
                Mind if I join you? 

Dewey considers for a whole two seconds. 

                                DEWEY 
                Not at all. 

Gale leans in the van, grabs the camera from  Kenny's hand, and throws it in her bag.  She gives Kenny a wink. 

INT.  KITCHEN 

CLOSE ON a microwave.  Popcorn POPS inside.  CAMERA WIDENS TO REVEAL... 

Sid, Stu, and Tatum moving about the kitchen, preparing a junk food feast.  Other TEENS pop in and out. Randy appears amongst them.  He carries an armful of videos. 

                                RANDY 
                I thought we'd make it a BLOCKBUSTER 
                night. 

He lets the videos splatter across the kitchen counter.  Stu and Tatum dive in. 

                                STU 
                I thought everything was checked out. 

                                RANDY 
                I had 'em hid in the foreign section. 

Sidney peruses the videos. 

                                SIDNEY 
                THE FOG, TERROR TRAIN, PROM NIGHT 
                --How come Jamie Lee Curtis is in all these 
                movies? 

                                RANDY 
                She's the Scream Queen. 

                                STU 
                With that set of lungs--she should be. 

                                TATUM 
                        (to Sid) 
                Tits--see. 

INT.  LIVING ROOM - FEW MINUTES LATER 

The party is going strong.  Ten maybe fifteen people stand, sit, lean.  Some crowd around the floor in front of the television.  Randy is taking a vote. 

                                RANDY 
                How many EVIL DEAD'S? 
                        (hands go up) 
                How many HELLRAISER'S? 

Hands go up.  BICKERING AD-LIB, etc. 

The doorbell RINGS.  Stu goes for it. 

                                STU 
                I got it. Tatum get me a beer. They're 
                in the fridge in the garage. 

                                TATUM 
                What am I? The beer wench? 

                                STU 
                        (o.c.) 
                Hey, guess who's here? It's that chick 
                from INSIDE STORY? 

They look up the hallway to see Dewey and Gale standing in the foyer. 

                                TATUM 
                Shit, Dewey! 

Everyone perks up, eyeing Gale. 

                                TATUM 
                What is she doing here? 

                                DEWEY 
                She's with me. I just wanted to check on 
                things. 

The GUYS in the room are drooling over Gale.  Including Stu. 

                                TATUM 
                So you did--now leave...and take your 
                media muff with you. 

Tatum takes off for the kitchen. 

Gale has quickly become the focus of the party.  All eyes are on her. 

                                SOME TEEN 
                I watch your show regularly. 

                                STU 
                This must be big news to be on INSIDE 
                STORY. 

                                GALE 
                Huge. 

                                ANOTHER TEEN 
                Wanna interview us? 

                                RANDY 
                We could be like two grief stricken 
                students and we'll say really nice things 
                about our good friends who were 
                slaughtered senselessly. 

                                STU 
                I can cry on cue. 

Gale eyes the bookshelf above the television. 

                                GALE 
                Maybe later? 

Suddenly, Gale starts to COUGH. 

                                GALE 
                Can I trouble you for some water? 

                                STU 
                How 'bout a beer? Randy--get the lady a 
                beer. 

                                RANDY 
                You get it. 

Gale slips the camera from her bag--hits the ON switch and holds it behind her...waiting for the right moment. 

BACK IN FOYER 

                                SIDNEY 
                Have they found my father? 

                                DEWEY 
                Afraid not. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Should I be worried? 

                                DEWEY 
                Not yet. 

INT.  KITCHEN 

Tatum is alone in the kitchen.  She empties popcorn into a bowl, then pulls open the refrigerator...looks quickly, then remembers... 

She moves through the adjoining laundry room to the... 

INT.  GARAGE 

The kitchen door opens and light floods the darkened garage.  Tatum stands in the doorway searching for a light switch. 

She finds a button and hits it.  BRRRRMMM!  The electric garage door starts to rise.  Wrong switch.  She hits it again and it closes. 

She finds another switch.  CLICK.  A small lightbulb overhead comes on, barely lighting the large two car garage, leaving pockets of shadows along the wall. 

Tatum spots the refrigerator against a far wall and heads for it, not seeing the kitchen door, quietly, slowly, closing behind her, sealing her off from the rest of the house. 

Tatum stumbles to the refrigerator and throws it open.  Its light casts a glow across her face. 

CRASH-BOOM! 

Tatum jumps, spinning around just in time to see a cat escape through a large pet door that's built into the garage door.  She smiles at her jumpiness. 

Tatum loads up with as many beer as her hands will carry and heads back to the kitchen. 

At the kitchen door, she juggles the beer, reaching for the knob.  It's locked. 

                                TATUM 
                SHIT! 

She KICKS it with her foot several times. 

                                TATUM 
                Hey, Shitheads! 

A moment.  No answer. 

                                TATUM 
                OH, SHIT PISS! 

Tatum leans over and, with her elbow, hits the garage door button.  BRRRMM!  It begins to rise. 

She moves towards the rising door, beer in hand.  Suddenly, CRR-BRRRM!  The garage door RESETS, reversing direction, moving down, closing. 

                                TATUM 
                What the... 

Tatum spins around to see.. 

A GHOST MASKED FIGURE 

Silhouetted in the dark, next to the kitchen door, his hand on the switch.  Tatum at once GASPS, taken back, but then relaxes. 

                                TATUM 
                Is that you, Randy? Cute. 

The FIGURE stares at her, blankly. 

                                TATUM 
                And what movie is this from? I SPIT ON 
                YOUR GARAGE. 

Tatum takes a step towards the FIGURE. 

                                TATUM 
                Lose the mask. If Sidney sees it, she'll 
                flip. 

The FIGURE shakes his head slowly from side to side. 

                                TATUM 
                Oh, you wanna play psycho killer? 

The FIGURE slowly nods. 

                                TATUM 
                Can I be the helpless victim? 

The FIGURE slowly nods again. 

                                TATUM 
                Okay, let's see. "No, please don't kill 
                me, Mr. Ghostface. I want to be in the
                sequel." 

Tatum takes a step to move around the FIGURE, but he steps too, blocking her. 

                                TATUM 
                Cut, Casper. That's a wrap. 

Tatum moves again, sidestepping the FIGURE, but he's faster and cuts her off. 

Tatum juggles the beer against her chest with one hand and with the other pushes the FIGURE hard, knocking him aside. 

                                TATUM 
                Randy--will you stop? 

But as the FIGURE intercepts, lunging forward, grabbing her wrist hard, Tatum stumbles...beer cans hit the floor, spewing... 

                                TATUM 
                You little shit. 

Tatum yanks hard, releasing his hold when a flash of silver catches her eye.  She looks down, glimpsing a long sharp blade as it darts forward, cutting into her forearm... 

Tatum pulls back, horrified, as the moment turns deadly serious. 

The FIGURE advances on her--knife out, ready.  She staggers backwards, holding her bloody arm, backing into the refrigerator, SCREAMING. 

                                TATUM 
                Who are you? 

The FIGURE lashes out with the knife.  Tatum dodges it, leaping back against the fridge.  The FIGURE advances.  Instinctively, she rips the top freezer door open, BASHING the FIGURE in the face, sending him backwards, reeling. 

Tatum bolts to the...CLOSED GARAGE DOOR.  In a panic, she BEATS and PULLS
on it, trying to make it lift.  She eyes the FIGURE...he's recovering... 

She goes for the pet door, dropping to the floor, diving for it...she wedges her upper body through, her head, shoulders, torso just as the... 

FIGURE pounces, grabbing hold of her feet.  Tatum goes crazy SCREAMING and KICKING trying to get through. 

EXT.  GARAGE DOOR 

Tatum is half in/half out of the pet door.  She BEATS and JERKS wildly, unable to see the FIGURE on the other side... 

A true fighter, Tatum kicks hard, making direct contact with the FIGURE, knocking him away. 

She takes the moment to pull herself through further...but she stops...stuck.  She pulls and tugs but can't move.  She listens but hears nothing.  Where did he go?  An agonizing silence.  And then... 

CRR-BRRRM!  The garage door is activated.  It begins to rise upward, taking
Tatum with it.  She SCREAMS MADLY. 

                                TATUM 
                NOOOOOOOO..... 

Tatum's arms and legs fly about violently as she tries to free herself from the door, but it moves too fast, carrying her up... 

She looks above to see where the door rolls back into garage rafters just as her neck hits the first beam, SNAPPING instantly. 

INT.  FOYER - MINUTES LATER 

It's getting late and SOME KIDS leave through the front door, muttering, "parents and curfew", etc.  The door hangs open wide.  Sid moves to close it when.... 

BILLY appears in a classic fake scare. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Billy? Jesus, you scared me. 

Stu appears. 

                                STU 
                        (with a wink) 
                Dude. What are you doing here? 

                                BILLY 
                I was hoping Sid and I could talk. 

                                SIDNEY 
                If Tatum sees you--she'll draw blood. 

                                STU 
                You guys can go up to my parents room? 
                To talk and...whatever. 

                                BILLY 
                Subtlety, Stu. Look it up. 

                                SIDNEY 
                It's okay. We need to talk. 

Sid grabs his hand and leads him up the staircase.  Randy appears from the kitchen just in time to see Sid and Billy disappear upstairs. 

                                RANDY 
                What's Leatherface doing here? 

                                STU 
                He came to make up. 

                                RANDY 
                There goes my chance with Sid. 

                                STU 
                Like you had one. 

INT.  NEWSVAN 

Kenny fidgets at the control board.  He hits a coupla buttons, bangs the side of the monitor and a picture emerges...the living room.  The camera is positioned just above the television... 

ON SCREEN 

The party is in full swing.  Several TEENS sit right in front of the television.  Because of the camera's position they appear to be staring right into the lens. 

Suddenly, the van's side door slides open and Gale pops in. 

                                KENNY 
                Got a picture. Perfect placement. We 
                can see everything. 

Gale is ecstatic. 

                                GALE 
                Tell me, Kenny, has a cheesy tabloid 
                journalist ever won the Pulitzer? 

INT.  BEDROOM 

A large, master bedroom with glass doors that lead out onto a balcony. 

Sid and Billy stare at each other for a long moment.  Awkward. 

                                SIDNEY 
                So... 

                                BILLY 
                So...I'm sorry. I've been a selfish shit 
                and I'm sorry. 

                                SIDNEY 
                No, Billy. I'm the one who's been 
                selfish and self-absorbed with all of my
                post traumatic stress. 

                                BILLY 
                You lost your mom... 

                                SIDNEY 
                But you're right--enough is enough. I 
                can't wallow in the grief process forever 
                and I can't keep lying to myself about 
                who my mom was. 

Billy bows his head quietly, knowingly. 

                                SIDNEY 
                I think in some weird analytical, 
                psychological bullshit way I'm scared 
                I'm gonna turn out just like her, you 
                know? Like the bad seed or something... 

                                BILLY 
                Oh Sidney... 

                                SIDNEY 
                Everytime I get close to you I see my 
                mom. I know it doesn't make sense. 

                                BILLY 
                Sure it does. It's like Jodie Foster in 
                SILENCE OF THE LAMBS when she 
                kept having flashbacks of her dead father. 

                                SIDNEY 
                But this is life. This isn't a movie. 

                                BILLY 
                Sure it is, Sid. It's all a movie. Life's 
                one great big movie. Only you can't 
                pick your genre. 

Billy moves to her.  They embrace, tenderly. 

                                SIDNEY 
                I wanna let go. I do... 

                                BILLY 
                Ssshh...everything's gonna be okay. I 
                promise. 

Sidney takes the initiative, acting on impulse, kissing him long and hard.  She breaks away passionately, out of breath. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Why can't I be a Meg Ryan movie? 

Billy nibbles her neck. 

                                BILLY 
                Sshh..it's okay. 

                                SIDNEY 
                Or even a good porno. 

                                BILLY 
                        (shocked) 
                What? 

She stares at him, her eyes sexually charged. 

                                SIDNEY 
                You heard me. 

                                BILLY 
                        (incredulous) 
                Are you serious? 

                                SIDNEY 
                        (surprising herself) 
                Yeah...I think so. 

They smile at each other. 

INT.  LIVING ROOM - MINUTES LATER 

The camera sits on the book shelf lodged between two knickknacks, completely inconspicuous. The CAMERA WIDENS to reveal several TEENS watching the TV--the horror diehards. 

                                TEEN #1 
                Look, here it comes. SPLAT! 

                                TEEN #2 
                The blood's not the right color. Why do 
                they do that? It's too red. 

                                RANDY 
                Here comes another... 

                                TEEN #3 
                Predictable. Knew he was going to bite 
                it. 

                                BORED TEEN 
                How can you watch this shit over and 
                over? 

                                RANDY 
                Shhhhh. 

                                STU 
                I wanna see Jamie Lee's breasts. When do 
                we see Jamie Lee's breasts? 

                                RANDY 
                Not until TRADING PLACES in '83. Jamie 
                Lee was always the virgin in horror movies. 
                She didn't show her tits until she went legit. 

                                BOY TEEN 
                No way. 

                                RANDY 
                That's why she always lived. Only 
                virgins can outsmart the killer in the
                big chase scene in the end. Don't you 
                know the rules? 

Stu finishes his beer. 

                                STU 
                What rules? 

Randy hits the pause button on the remote and stands in front of the television, explaining. 

                                RANDY 
                There are certain rules that one must 
                abide by in order to successfully survive 
                a horror movie. For instance: 1. You 
                can never have sex. The minute you get a 
                little nookie--you're as good as gone. 
                Sex always equals death. 2. Never drink 
                or do drugs. The sin factor. It's an 
                extension of number one. And 3. Never, 
                ever, ever, under any circumstances, say 
                "I'll be right back." 

                                STU 
                Wanna another beer? 

                                RANDY 
                Yeah. 

                                STU 
                I'll be right back. 

Everybody "ooohhs". 

                                RANDY 
                There he goes folks--a dead man. Wave 
                bye-bye. 

INT.  NEWSVAN - CONTINUOUS

Gale and Kenny watch the monitor.  The party is clearing out some

A RAP at the van door.  Gale pulls it open to see Deputy Riley standing, his face all smiles.

                                DEWEY
                Sheriff just radioed me. I'm gonna check
                out a possible lead. Thought you might 
                like to join me.

                                GALE
                What kind of lead?

                                DEWEY
                A car was spotted in the bushes a little
                ways up the road.

                                GALE
                I'd love to. If you're sure it's
                alright?

                                DEWEY
                Ma'am, I am the Deputy of this town.

                                GALE
                Can I bring Kenny?

                                DEWEY
                        (too quickly)
                NO! I mean...I should probably take just 
                you.

Gale steps out of the van turning back to Kenny.

                                GALE
                I'll be back.

She slides the van door closed.

EXT.  ROAD - CONTINUOUS

Gale heads for Dewey's patrol jeep.

                                DEWEY
                Actually, I thought we could walk. It's
                not far.

Gale appears skeptical, but smiles anyway.  She's genuinely smitten by this young guy.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

SCARY MUSIC fills the room.  The party is reduced to the diehards in front of the television.

                                RANDY
                        (pointing to TV)
                Look, here comes the obligatory tit shot.

                                OTHER GUYS
                Beautiful! Finally!

INT.  BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Billy and Sidney are going at it...passionately.  He has his head buried in her neck.

                                SIDNEY
                        (to herself)
                "Eight is enough to fill our lives with
                love..."

It's working.  Sidney pushes Billy off her as she pulls her shirt over her head.  She fumbles with the clasp of her bra as the...

CAMERA RUSHES IN on her breasts.  Just as Sid's bra straps slide of her shoulders...

Billy moves in front of the CAMERA, pulling his jeans off, Blocking Sidney from view.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - SECONDS LATER

Back in the living room, the horror fest continues when the phone RINGS.  Everyone ignores it.  It RINGS again.

Finally, Randy grabs the receiver from the side table.

                                RANDY
                Hello? Yeah....HOLY SHIT.

Randy, freaked, drops the phone, finds the TV remote and pauses the movie, the others protest
"Hey, Put is back..." etc.

                                RANDY
                Listen up. They found Principal Himbry
                dead. He was gutted and hung from the
                goal post on the football field.

This stills the room.  Complete silence as the news sinks in.  ON different faces...a moment of devastation..disbelief.  And then:

                                TEEN #1
                So what are we waiting for?

                                TEEN #2
                Let's get over there before they pry him
                down.

And in seconds the room is empty as everyone bolts for the door..HOOTIN' and HOLLERIN' ...leaving Randy, near drunk, alone in the living room.  He returns to the movie.

                                RANDY
                We were just getting to the good part.

INT.  NEWSVAN - MINUTES LATER

Kenny is barely watching the monitor, he reached boredom some time ago.  He finds a bag of Cheetos and chows down when he hears SCREAMING from outside.  He peers out the window to see the last of the PARTY KIDS pile into two cars and race off down the road.

He chews a Cheeto slowly, his interest piqued.

INT.  BEDROOM - MINUTES LATER

The sex is over...and both Sid and Billy are dressing respectively.  That post-sex awkwardness.

Sid brushes out her hair as her eyes come to rest on the telephone on the nightstand...it puzzles her as a stark reveleation crosses her face.  She turns to Billy who sits on the floor, putting on his shoes.

                                SIDNEY
                Who did you call?

                                BILLY
                What?

                                SIDNEY
                When you're arrested-you're allowed one 
                phone call? Who did you call?

                                BILLY
                I called my dad.

                                SIDNEY
                No, Sheriff Burke called your dad. I saw
                him.

                                BILLY
                Yeah...and when I called no one answered.

                                SIDNEY
                Uh-huh.

                                BILLY
                You don't still think it was me?

                                SIDNEY
                No, but if it were you, that would have
                been a very clever way to throw me off
                track. Using your one phone call to call
                me so I wouldn't think it was you.

Billy stands up.

                                BILLY
                What do I have to do to prove to you I'm
                not a killer?

He makes a move toward her when..from behind, in a split instant, from the open balcony doors comes...

THE GHOST FIGURE

Sidney sees the FIGURE immedietely, SCREAMING.  Billy tries to calm her, oblivious to the advancing GHOST.

                                SIDNEY
                BILLYWATCHOUT!!!!

Billy barely turns as a long steely blade rises high in the air.  It strikes down with force...hitting his chest as blood sprays the air.

ON SIDNEY as red crimson splatters across her face...as the knife is thrust in and out of Billy who tries hard to put up a fight..but it's useless...he never had a chance.  His body falls to the floor..lifeless.

ANGLE ON GHOST

as he watches Billy's body come to a still before quietly, calmly turning his attention to...

SIDNEY who stands, numb...scared to death.  And only when the GHOST takes a step forward does Sidney break.  She takes off like a rocket...leaping over the bed and out the door.

INT.  HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

Sidney tears out the door and down the hall, coated in Billy's blood.

ANGLE ON THE GHOST

as he catches up with her, grabbing hold of her collar.  She pulls away from him...her shirt ripping down the back.

Her hands find a door knob and she goes for it, pulling the door open...moving quickly inside...locking it behind her.

INT.  DARK SPACE - CONTINUOUS

Total darkness.  Sidney's hands scour the wall for a light switch.  The doorknob turns...the lock holds..as the door is nearly SHAKEN from it's hinges...and then...

NOTHING.  All goes silent.  Only Sidney's rapid BREATHING fills the space around her.

Sidney, trembling, shaking, reaches above her, feeling, until she finds a string.  She pulls it...as a lightbulb SWITCHES on overhead.

She's in a small box of a room.  The door is on one side, a small, narrow staircase on the other.  She eyes the doorknob, then the staircase...contemplating...but it's an easy decision.  There's no fucking way she's going up to the attic.

She unlocks the door and pushes on it.  But it won't give...she pushes on it again.  It's locked from the other side.  Shit.  She turns to the staircase.

EXT.  DARK ROAD - CONTINUOUS

A long, deserted country road.  In the distance, a single flashlight beams ahead, the only light in the black night.  Gale and Dewey can be heard.

                                GALE
                So is Dewey your real name?

                                DEWEY
                Dwight. Dewey was something I got stuck
                with a long time ago.

                                GALE
                I like it. It's... sexy.

                                DEWEY
                Nah... it's just this town's way of not
                taking me serious.

                                GALE
                What about Gale Weathers? I sound like a
                meteorologist...

CLOSE ON Gale and Dewey, walking closely, side by side-flirtatiously.  Gale is surprisingly nervous.

                                GALE
                People treat me like the Antichrist of
                television journalism.

                                DEWEY
                I don't think you're so bad.

Gale smiles.

                                GALE
                Are all the local boys as sweet as you?

Dewey blushes.  He starts to say something when headlights appear behind them.  They both spin as TWO CARS loaded with KIDS come racing right at them.

Dewey grabs Gale and pushes her off the road... just as the cars speed by, oblivious to them.

IN THE DITCH

Gale lands face up with Dewey right on top of her.  He steals a glance in her eyes before rolling off her.

                                DEWEY
                You okay?

Something takes Gale's attention.

                                GALE
                What's that?

Dewey looks to where gale points.  He finds the flashlight and aims it into the bush.  The tail end of a car is just visible.

                                DEWEY
                Looks like a car.

Dewey helps her up and they move to it.  He shines the flashlight on the plates but it's already obvious to the CAMERA.  This is the same car we last saw Sidney's father driving away in.

                                DEWEY
                Shit. It's Neil Prescott's car.

                                GALE
                Sidney's father?

                                DEWEY
                We gotta get back. Jesus. He's here.
                What the fuck is he doing here?

Dewey is panicked.  He grabs Gale and they race off down the road.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Randy continues to watch TV.  He is now sloppy drunk, completely involved in the movie on the screen.

SCARY MUSIC SWELLS, filling the room.

                                RANDY
                        (to TV)
                No, Jamie. Look behind you! Watch out!
                Behind you!

And if he followed his own advice, he would see the GHOST MASKED FIGURE that stands directly behind him...knife poised.

INT.  NEWSVAN - CONTINUOUS

Kenny finishes off a soda and crushes the can in his hand.  He tosses it to the floor when a movement from the monitor catches his eye.

ON THE MONITOR is Randy, still on the couch, engrossed in the movie.  Directly behind him...the GHOST.  Kenny does a double-take.  No fucking way.  He watches as the GHOST stands still, unmoving, knife raised.

                                KENNY
                JESUS...FUCK...

The GHOST takes a silent step forward.

                                KENNY
                        (screaming at the monitor)
                BEHIND YOU! LOOK BEHIND YOU!

This kid needs help.  Kenny bolts out of his seat and goes for the side door.  He slides it open and sticks his head out as...

A LONG, SHARP BLADE

comes at Kenny, fast and furious...slicing into his throat.  Kenny falls forward...out the door as the GHOST MASKED FIGURE is upon him.

THE CAMERA PANS TO THE MONITOR

just in time to see the GHOST MASKED FIGURE turn away from Randy, leaving him unharmed, moving instead, out the front door, on a thirty second walk to the newsvan.

INT.  ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

The attic is long and narrow...cluttered with furniture, boxes, and the likes...moonlight filters in through a small raised window on the front wall of the house.

Sidney moves through the attic...BUMPING into this, KNOCKING over that...she passes a dusty mirror, jumping at her own reflection.  She cringes at her image, drenched in Billy's blood.  She stares long and hard...something about the blood, the redness of it.  She moves on, determined.

She eyes the raised window above her...a way out...if she could only reach it...

EXT.  FRONT YARD

Gale and Dewey come running up the drive, frantic.

                                DEWEY
                I'll call for backup.

                                GALE
                I'll get my camera.

They split up.  The CAMERA FOLLOWS GALE as she rushes to the newsvan, throwing open the door.

                                GALE
                Kenny! Camera! Quick!

The van is empty.

                                GALE
                Kenny?

A CAR HORN goes off.  Gale spins around.  It came from the patrol jeep in the driveway.

                                GALE
                        (calling out)
                Dewey?

She moves across the yard to the jeep, the door hangs open...Dewey is nowhere to be found.

                                GALE
                Dewey? Where are you?

A look of pure dread comes over Gale.

INT.  ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

Sidney has stacked object after object building a ladder to the window.  She climbs to the top, holding onto the window frame.

She spots Gale almost immedietely.  She SCREAMS OUT, looking for the window latch.  But there's not one.  It doesn't open.  Sidney starts beating on it...trying to break it...

EXT.  FRONT DOOR - CONTINUOUS

Gale, hanging tough, approaches the front door, unable to hear Sidney's SCREAMS three floors up.  Gale reaches for the door just as she hears LOUD, HORRIBLE SHRIEKS from just inside.  She backs away.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

AN EAR-CURDLING JAMIE LEE CURTIS SCREAM BLASTS through the empty living room as the horror movie on TV comes to it's horrifying climax.

Randy is now gone.

EXT.  FRONT YARD - CONTINUOUS

Gale races across the yard putting distance between her and the house.  She moves back to the van...

INT.  ATTIC - CONTINUOUS

Sidney has found an old tennis racket.  She swings a solid forehand at the window.

THE WINDOW SPRAYS GLASS

Sidney moves quickly, lifting herself up over broken glass and pulling herself through the window frame.

EXT.  SIDE OF THE HOUSE

Sidney wastes no time.  She looks for Gale, SCREAMING, but Gale is gone.

Sid lowers herself down the ledge, sliding down a sloped portion of the roof onto...

THE MASTER'S BEDROOM BALCONY.

Then she eases herself over the railing and lowers herself, letting herself hang as low as she can...then she lets go, free-falling the rest of the way...but in a split instant...

THE GHOST APPEARS

grabbing her wrists in midair.

Her body hangs, dangling against the side of the house.  The GHOST begins to lift her, pulling her back onto the balcony.

Sidney jerks, pulls, twists...but the HANDS have her, hoisting her up...Sidney SCREAMS MADLY...yanking one last time, freeing herself.

SHE DROPS TO THE GROUND, a good seven feet, landing on her back, hitting hard.  She grabs at a pained leg and brings herself upright.

INT.  NEWSVAN - CONTINUOUS

Gale is frantic.  She starts the engine up and hits the headlights when she discovers she can't see out of the windshield.

Gale rubs at the glass.  Sure enough, something is on the windshield outside, blocking her sight.  Gale hits the wipers as BLOOD SMEARS across the glass, it drips down from above.

Gale SCREAMS as a HAND reaches in through the open window...she looks up to see...

RANDY, staring at her madly.

                                RANDY
                What's going on?

A sheer moment of fear as Gale hits the gas plummeting the car forward, into a ditch.  She hits the BRAKES.  Randy is thrown forward, away from the van.

Gale reverses, backs up, hits the brakes again...just as Kenny's face comes sliding down the outside of the windshield...eyes wide, face distorted, blood everywhere.

Gale hits the gas, and yanks the wheel, sending Kenny's corpse flying off the top of the van.

Gale spins the van around, onto the road, hits the gas madly, gaining speed just as...

SIDNEY APPEARS

in the middle of the road, drenched in blood, very much resembling a young Sissy Spacek.

Gale swerves to miss her, but she turns too sharp and the van veers off the road at top speed...flipping over on its side, sliding off into the thick foliage.

EXT.  ROAD - CONTINUOUS

Sidney races to where the van lay on it's side.  Sidney peers through the windshield...Gale's body lay limp and bloody.

SIDNEY CRIES OUT, turning, limping to the driveway.  She sees the patrol jeep with it's open door...she goes for it.

INT.  JEEP

Sidney hops in, reaches for the ignition...NO KEYS!  Shit.  Just then, Sidney's eyes go to the front porch.  She watches as the front door opens and a FIGURE appears in the darkness, undetectable.

Sidney throws the headlights...illuminating the front side of the house, revealing...

DEWEY STANDING IN THE DOORWAY.

                                SIDNEY
                DEWEY!

Sidney opens the jeep door, moving to him, noticing his body, slumped, knees buckled...

And then his body falls forward, slowly, deliberately, hitting the porch hard.  Standing behind him is...

THE GHOST

SIDNEY SCREAMS FROM THE BOTTOM OF HER SOUL.

                                SIDNEY
                NOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Sid jumps back inside the jeep, closing the door, locking it.  She reaches over and locks the passenger's door and then she...waits.

And watches as the GHOST leans over Dewey's still body, fumbling with something.  Then the FIGURE stands upright, in his hands he holds...

THE KEYS

They jingle in the wind, the GHOST toying with her, enjoying this...

Sidney, hysterical, locks eyes with the FIGURE as he moves to the door, Sidney leaps on it, holding the lock button down, making it impossible to unlock.  Her face is pressed against the glass...inches from the MASKED FIGURE.

She uses every ounce of strength when suddenly, the GHOST DISAPPEARS, dropping down, below the window, out of her view.

Sidney moves to the center of the jeep, trying hard to listen over her own RAPID BREATHING, every sound AMPLIFIED.

Then she hears it, the soft JINGLING of keys near the passengers side door.  She pounces on the lock, holding it down.

A shadow cuts the beam of the headlights, unseen by Sidney.  The lock turns on the other side.  Sidney leaps over and holds it down, securing it.  This is beyond nerve-racking.  Sidney is certifiable.

Her eyes spot the police radio for the first time.  She grabs the mouthpiece and hits the switch.

                                SIDNEY
                Help! Please! I'm at Stu Maker's house
                on Turner Lane. Please, HE'S GONNA
                KILL ME!

EXT.  FRONT OF JEEP

ANGLE through front windshield.  Sidney RANTING into the police band.  She doesn't see the...

GHOST FIGURE open the tailgate door of the jeep and slowly crawl in behind her.

The GHOST FIGURE reaches out and grabs hold of Sidney's neck.

Sidney, with surprising strength, spins around and attacks the GHOST.

She falls back against the dash, legs out, kicking wildly at him.

Her hand reaches for the door, finds the lock, the door lever, she pulls...

The door swings open...

Sidney falls out of the door, hitting the ground.

EXT.  FRONT YARD - CONTINUOUS

Sidney, on her stomach, squirms away from the jeep.  She brings herself up to her hands and knees, looking behind her to see nothing...

THE GHOST HAS DISAPPEARED.

Sidney's eyes roam the yard but he's nowhere.  Completely gone.  Vanished.  Sid crawls to the front porch where...

DEWEY'S BODY LAY

Thinking quickly, precisely, she reaches to Dewey's holster and grabs his gun when a VOICE ECHO'S behind her...

                                VOICE
                        (o.c.)
                Sidney!

She turns to see Randy racing to her, limping.  He appears stone cold sober.

                                RANDY
                Jesus, Sid. We gotta get out of here.

Sidney throws the gun forward.

                                SIDNEY
                Stop. Right there.

                                RANDY
                Don't shoot. It's me.

                                SIDNEY
                Don't come any closer.

                                RANDY
                Listen to me, Sid. I found Tatum. She's
                dead, she's been killed...I think Stu did
                it.

He takes a step forward when another VOICE SPEAKS UP.

                                VOICE
                        (o.c.)
                Don't believe him, Sid.

Sidney spins around to see Stu moving up the walk.

                                STU
                He's lying. He killed Tatum. And Billy.

Stu moves closer to Sidney.

                                SIDNEY
                Stay away.

She aims the gun in his direction.

                                STU
                His movie nut mind has snapped, Sid.
                He's gone psycho.

                                RANDY
                Don't listen to him. It's him. He's the
                one.

Sidney has lost it, she doesn't know who to trust.  She aims the gun at Stu..then Randy..then Stu...

                                STU
                Come on, Sid. Give me the gun.

                                RANDY
                No, Sid.

They both move toward her.  There's no time.  She must act now.  Finally...

                                SIDNEY
                Fuck you both.

And with that, Sidney steps back into the house and SLAMS the front door shut.

INT.  LIVING ROOM / FOYER

Sid locks and bolts the door.  From the other side she can hear Randy SCREAMING.

                                RANDY
                NO, SID. OPEN UP. PLEASE...
                HE'S GONE CRAZY.

His fists POUND against the door.  Sidney, stumbling in the darkness, rushes to the phone in the living room.  Just as she reaches for it...it RINGS.  It scares the life out of her.  She SCREAMS, yanking it up.

                                SIDNEY
                Please! God! Help me!

                                VOICE
                        (from the phone)
                Having fun Sidney?

Sidney falls apart, SCREAMING.

                                SIDNEY
                NOOOOOOOOO!!!

She throws the phone down, disconnecting the call.

Sid moves back to the door.  RANDY'S SCREAMS ARE MADDENING.  She eyes the lock, deliberating.

                                SIDNEY
                        (at the door)
                GOAWAYLEAVEMEALONE!

CLUNK!  A NOISE UPSTAIRS.

Sidney looks up the staircase, into the darkness, her face SHOCKED to see...

BILLY

emerging from the shadows, stumbling down the stairs.  Very much alive.

                                SIDNEY
                Oh God. Billy!

He's blood-soaked and dazed.  Sidney meets him in the landing, grabbing him, holding him...

                                SIDNEY
                I thought you were...

                                BILLY
                I'm alright. Gotta...get...help.

Billy goes for the door.

                                SIDNEY
                He's out there.

Randy continues POUNDING ON THE DOOR, SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS.

                                RANDY
                        (through door)
                Please, you gotta let me in. He's
                gonna kill me.

Billy goes for the door.  Sidney blocks him.

                                SIDNEY
                NO! Don't believe him.

                                BILLY
                It's okay. Give me the gun.

Sidney hands him the gun.  Billy turns and unlocks the door, opening it.  Randy rushes in, grabbing Billy, pleading...

                                RANDY
                Help me...

                                BILLY
                        (calming him)
                Shhhh. It's okay.

                                RANDY
                Stu's flipped out. He's gone mad.

Slowly, a small smile creeps across Billy's face.

                                BILLY
                "We all go a little mad sometimes."

Randy squints, confused, as Billy aims the gun at Randy and pulls the trigger.  The BLAST throws Randy's body against the wall before sliding to a heap on the floor...still.

                                BILLY
                Anthony Perkins--PSYCHO

BILLY TURNS TO SIDNEY...

Who stands only feet away, face aghast...

Fuck, no...this can't be happening.  Billy's eyes are on her, unmoving.

He sticks his tongue out and slowly licks the blood dried to his face...tasting it.

                                BILLY
                Corn syrup. Same stuff they used for
                pig's blood in CARRIE.

Sidney is dumbfounded.  Slowly, she takes a step back, moving into the dark refines of the kitchen.

Billy, lurches forward in a fake-out, baiting her.  She takes another step back--petrified.

CLOSE ON BILLY'S FACE.  It is no longer familiar to Sidney.  There is something inhuman now about his features.  His expression is pure evil.

She takes another step back, shrinking into the dark kitchen.

THE CAMERA TAKES A MOMENT TO ADJUST TO THE DARKNESS as the outline of a FIGURE appears...

STANDING RIGHT BEHIND SIDNEY.

She continues to back up, moving right into the arms of...

STU

Sidney spins around...her mouth open in speechless horror.

                                SIDNEY
                Stu...please...help me...

Stu stares back at her, eyes wide, lips curled in a subtle smile as he holds a small compact CELLULAR PHONE up to his face.

                                STU
                        (whispering into phone)
                Surprise, Sidney.

His VOICE sounds affected now...the VOICE of the killer.

Sidney looks back to Billy, then to Stu, then to Billy again.  It becomes all too clear.

She stands between them, her mind racing, calculating...

SHE BOLTS INTO THE LIVING ROOM

If for no other reason than to put space between her and them...they stand in the entryway, trapping her in.

                                BILLY
                Where ya going? It's not over yet. We've
                got one more surprise--Stu, I believe it's 
                your turn.

                                STU
                Oh yeah

Stu disappears into the kitchen.

                                BILLY
                        (to Sidney)
                What's wrong? You look like you've seen
                a ghost.

Sidney stands, trying hard to hold a calm resolve.

A NOISE comes from the kitchen.  A low dragging sound.  Stu reappears from the front hall...wrestling with something...someone...

CLOSE ON STU...he has a body in tow, he thrusts it forward and it rolls into the living room.  Sidney looks down to find...

HER FATHER

bound and gagged.  His eyes wide in fear, very much alive.

                                SIDNEY
                Daddy!

She starts for him.

                                BILLY
                Close enough.

Stu places the cellular phone in Mr. Prescott's shirt pocket.

                                STU
                Guess, I won't be needing this anymore.

                                SIDNEY
                Why are you doing this?

                                STU
                It's all part of the game.

                                BILLY
                It's called GUESS HOW I'M GOING TO DIE!

                                SIDNEY
                Fuck you.

                                BILLY
                We already played that game. You lost,
                remember?

                                STU
                You have to play, Sid. Don't want to
                disappoint your dad. He's been waiting
                around all night.

                                BILLY
                It's an easy game. We ask you a
                question. If you get it wrong--you die.

                                STU
                And if you get it right--you die.

                                SIDNEY
                You're crazy--both of you.

                                STU
                The official term is "psychotic".

                                SIDNEY
                You'll never get away with this.

                                BILLY
                Tell that to Cotton Weary. You wouldn't
                believe how easy it was to frame him.

                                STU
                Yeah, we just watched a few movies. Took
                a few notes. It was fun.

Billy and Stu relish their madness, proud of themselves.

Sidney looks to her dad, sees the tears in his eyes.  She looks back to Billy, unflinching..a determined look on her face.

                                SIDNEY
                Why did you kill my mother?

                                BILLY
                Why? WHY? Did you hear that, Stu? I
                think she wants a motive. Hmmm...I don't
                really believe in motives, Sid. I mean, did
                Norman Bates have a motive?

Stu plays along, shaking his head.

                                STU
                Nope.

                                BILLY
                And did they really ever explain why
                Hannibal Lecter liked to eat people?
                Don't think so. You see, it's scarier
                when there's no motive, Sid.

                                SIDNEY
                        (fighting tears)
                I don't understand...

                                BILLY
                We did your mom a favor, Sid. The woman
                was a slut bag whore who flashed her shit
                all over town like she was Sharon Stone or 
                something.

                                STU
                        (laughing)
                ..so we put her out of her misery. I
                mean, let's face it, your mom was no
                Sharon Stone.

Stu cracks up over this while Billy turns very serious.

                                BILLY
                Is that motive enough for you? Or how
                about this? Did you know your slut
                mother was sleeping with my dad and she's
                the reason my mom moved out and deserted
                me.

A sudden silence.  Sidney is rigid with shock, his words resonant with truth.

                                SIDNEY
                What?

Even Stu is surprised with his seriousness.

                                BILLY
                Think about it. On the off chance I get
                caught-a motive like that could divide a
                jury for years, don't you think?. You took
                my mother, so I took yours. Big sympathy 
                factor. Maternal abandonment causes 
                serious deviant behavior. It certainly 
                fucked you up. It made you have sex with 
                a psychopath.

                                STU
                That's right and now that you're no 
                longer a virgin. You gotta die--those
                are the rules.

Billy sits the gun down on the table near the foyer.  And then moves to Sidney with the butcher knife in hand.

                                BILLY
                Pretend this is all just a scary movie,
                Sid. How do you think it's going to end?

Sidney doesn't respond.

                                STU
                        (excited)
                This is the best part, Sid. Billy's got 
                it all figured out. Why do you think we
                kept your father alive so long? Why did
                we save you for last?

                                BILLY
                You know what time it is, Sid? It's 
                after midnight. It's your mother's 
                anniversary. We killed her exactly one
                year ago today.

Billy turns to Stu with the knife.  They eye each other.

                                BILLY
                Ready?

                                STU
                Yeah...

Billy pulls the knife back and brings it forward quickly, slicing into Stu.  He stumbles to ho his knees, WINCING in pain.

                                STU
                Jesus...

Sidney SCREAMS...as blood gushes..real blood, a dark, deep red.  Stu inspects the wound to his side...then he smiles...

                                STU
                Good one. My turn.

He takes the knife from Billy.

                                BILLY
                Don't forget-stay to the side and don't
                go too deep.

Stu stabs at Billy's belly, puncturing him...Billy doubles over...

                                BILLY
                Jesus...fuck, that hurt.

                                SIDNEY
                Stop it!

                                BILLY
                        (squelching the pain)
                Got the ending figured out yet? Time's
                running out.

                                STU
                Come on, Sid. Think about it. Your
                father is the chief suspect. We cloned
                his cellular. The evidence is there.

Billy takes the knife and slashes at Stu's arm, two quick cuts...he doubles over...

                                BILLY
                What if your father snapped? Your mom's
                anniversary set him off and he went on a
                murder spree, killing everyone...

                                STU
                        (in major pain)
                Except for me and Billy...we were left 
                for dead...

                                BILLY
                And then he killed you and then shoots
                himself in the head. It's a perfect
                ending.

                                STU
                Everyone dies but us. We get to carry on
                and plan the sequel. Let's face it, these
                days--you gotta have a sequel.

Stu takes the knife and cuts at Billy.

                                SIDNEY
                You sick fucks--you've seen one too many
                movies.

Billy looks at her, bent over, crazed.

                                BILLY
                Oh Sid, don't blame the movies...Movies
                don't create psychos. Movies just make
                psychos more creative.

Stu staggers a bit.

                                STU
                That's it, Billy. I can't take any more.
                I'm feeling woozy.

                                BILLY
                Get the gun. I'll untie Pops.

Billy moves to Sidney's father.

                                STU
                Where'd you put it?

Stu is searching the foyer for the gun.

                                BILLY
                It's on the table.

                                STU
                No, it's not.

Billy hobbles over.  The gun is gone.

                                BILLY
                Where the fuck is it?

                                VOICE
                        (off camera)
                Right here, asshole.

Billy and Stu look up in unison to see...

GALE WEATHERS-CORRESPONDENT FROM INSIDE STORY

standing in the front door way, gun in hand.  Her body tattered and bloody.  Her hair a mess.

                                BILLY
                I thought she was dead.

                                STU
                She looked dead. Still does.

Gale holds the gun firm, in total control.

                                GALE
                I've got an ending for you. The reporter
                left for dead in the newsvan comes to,
                stumbles upon you two dipshits, finds the
                gun, fumbles your plan, and saves the day.

Sidney steps forward.

                                SIDNEY
                I like that ending.

Billy lunges at Gale, but she holds steady.  Billy and Stu eye each other.

                                BILLY
                She can't get both of us.

                                STU
                Odds are--she'll miss anyway.

In a mad rush, they storm Gale, heading straight at her.  She pulls the trigger, but nothing happens...the safety is on.

Billy charges forward, grabbing hold of the front door, SLAMMING IT SHUT.  It catches Gale in the face, knocking her backwards out the door.  She goes down...out.

                                STU
                Cool move.

Billy steps out the front door and retrieves the gun from where Gale lays.  Then he turns back inside the house to find...

SIDNEY GONE.

                                BILLY
                Where'd she go?

Stu looks around, staggering now, bleeding heavily...Sidney has completely disappeared.  Only her father, bound and gagged remains in the living.

                                STU
                I don't know Billy but I'm hurtin'.

                                BILLY
                Where the fuck did she go?

Suddenly, the phone RINGS.  Billy and Stu look at each other.  Completely surprised.  Billy scrambles over to the phone.

                                BILLY
                        (picking up phone)
                Hello?

                                SIDNEY
                        (from phone)
                Are you alone in the house?

Billy looks to Mr. Prescott.  The cellular phone is gone.

                                BILLY
                You bitch--where the fuck are you?

                                SIDNEY
                Not so fast.  We're gonna play a little
                game. It's called GUESS WHO JUST
                CALLED THE POLICE AND REPORTED 
                YOUR SORRY MOTHERFUCKING ASS?

Billy looks around the living room.

                                BILLY
                Find her.

Billy is fuming now...slightly staggering...and starting to lose it.  He SCREAMS at Stu who has fallen to his knees.

                                BILLY
                FIND HER YOU DIPSHIT!

                                STU
                I can't...I'm bad off, Billy. You cut
                to deep.

Billy throws the phone at Stu.  He mouths to him, so Sid can't hear.  "Talk to her..."  Then Billy takes off for the kitchen.  Stu takes the phone.

                                SIDNEY
                        (aware)
                So Stu, what's your motive? Billy's got
                one. The police are on their way. What
                are you going to tell them?

                                STU
                Peer pressure...I'm way to sensitive.

Billy flies back in the room, grabbing the phone from Stu.  He's completely nuts now, staggering, bleeding, totally insane.

                                BILLY
                        (SCREAMING in phone)
                I'm gonna rip you up bitch. Just like
                your slut whore mother.

                                SIDNEY
                Gotta find me first, you pansy-assed
                Mama's boy.

Billy starts ripping the room up, overturning furniture in a mad fit of rage...when he notices the hall closet.  Touche!  He smiles deliriously, heading for it, ripping it open as...

A GHOST MASKED FIGURE strikes from within, with an umbrella, the sharp end hitting him in the chest as it fans out.  Billy stumbles back, stunned, as the GHOST comes at him again...the umbrella lodges in his chest, and he goes down.

Sidney rips the GHOST MASK off her head.  She looks at Billy, disgusted, throwing the mask on Billy's now still body.  A movement behind her sends her reeling around to find...

RANDY slowly sitting up.  His body drenched in blood.  He's alive...barely.  He looks to Sidney...through pain...

                                RANDY
                You know what I hate most about horror 
                movies? The final scene...it just goes on
                and on...and it gets so stupid...

Randy manages to stand when a FIGURE COMES LEAPING at him, completely unexpected...it's Stu...barreling into him...they fall back into the living room.  Sidney grabs the gun next to Billy and turns to the living room to find...

Randy and Stu rolling across the floor in a dead lock, fighting, both seriously injured...Sid tries to find aim when a...

HAND GRABS HOLD of Sidney's ankle, toppling her to the floor...once again she finds Billy on top of her...

IN THE LIVING ROOM

Randy and Stu pound at each other, beating and clawing...

ON SIDNEY as she fights viciously, attacking with everything she's got...

Randy is desperately trying to pry away from Stu...he grabs hold of the television set and tries to pull himself off the floor out of Stu's clutch...

His hands find the top of the TV...the VCR...he yanks on it, gripping it with his hands, bringing it around with force-CRASHING the VCR into Stu's head.  Stu drops.

ON SIDNEY as she digs her hand into Billy's open chest wound.  He CRIES OUT BLOODY MURDER.  Her other hand brings the gun up to his face...but he head bunts it out the front door...suddenly a flash of silver appears above Sidney.

Billy has grasped the butcher knife...he rises it high above Sidney ready to strike...when a bullet RIPS THROUGH THE FOYER striking Billy knocking him back into the living room.

Sidney looks up to see...

GALE WEATHERS, holding the gun in a death grip as smoke rises above the gun's chamber.

Sidney sits up as Gale moves to her, helping her.  Their eyes meet.  A life truce.

INT.  LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

Billy and Stu lay face up, head to head.  Sid and Gale move over them, staring down.  Randy joins them.

                                RANDY
                Sid, you found me out...I'm a virgin.
                And pretty happy about it right now.

Sidney nudges their bodies.  They both stir.

                                RANDY
                Careful. This is the moment when you
                think the killer's dead, but then he
                springs back to life for one last scare.

Sidney grabs the gun from Gale.

                                SIDNEY
                Not this time.

She positions her foot on Stu's chest and aims.

                                SIDNEY
                This is for my Mom, asshole.

She SHOOTS him in the forehead, a clean and perfect shot.  The she aims the barrel at Billy who's eyes suddenly open, blinking up at her, blood bubbling from his lips.  He's not yet dead.  Their eyes lock.

                                SIDNEY
                And this Billy stud-bucket is for having
                an incredibly small weenie.

She FIRES another perfect shot.  They're both goners.

Sidney drops the smoking gun, standing silent over the bodies.  A quiet moment when suddenly...

A FIGURE LUNGES AT THEM

Both Sid and Gale and Randy SCREAM in epic, final scare proportions as Mr. Prescott leaps forward, still bound and gagged.

Sid catches her breath, relaxing.

                                SIDNEY
                Oh Daddy...

She rushes to him, untying him...while Gale moves to the bookcase and retrieves the hidden camera.

                                GALE
                I wanna close-up.

Randy appears by Sidney's side, helping her untie her father.

                                RANDY
                This is probably an inappropriate
                moment, but you think you'd want 
                to maybe go out with me sometime...
                like on a date?

Sidney looks at him, dumbfounded.

                                RANDY
                Maybe catch a movie?

A long moment as Sidney's face goes from disbelief to resignation to the slight trace of a smile.

                                SIDNEY
                Only if it's a nice Meg Ryan movie.

                                RANDY
                You got it.

He smiles at her...watching as Sidney grabs hold of her father, holding him tight as Gale Weathers, with camera in hand, gets one hell of an ending to this SCARY MOVIE.

					  THE END